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Youth urged to seek help from trusted adults and health facilities on sexual health issues
The Advocacy and Youth Coordinator at Marie Stopes Ghana, Henrietta Kaakyire Ataah has urged young people not to keep their sexual and reproductive health concerns to themselves but to seek help from trusted adults, Ghana Health Service facilities or Marie Stopes clinics where youth-friendly providers are available.
At the premiere of the second season of Atoua at the Silverbird Cinema in Accra, she highlighted a rise in unsafe abortion among adolescents and explained that the series was created to respond to that problem.
Beyond unsafe abortion, she noted that the programme covers contraception, parent–child relationships, peer pressure and other reproductive health issues faced by young people.
She encouraged adolescents to make informed choices, noting that “the future depends on the decisions you make today.”
Director and producer of the film, Joseph Akwesi explained that Atoua means “if it happens to you” and also stands for “Adolescent Talk on Unsafe Abortion.”
According to him, the first season told the story of a young woman who died from an unsafe abortion to reflect the realities faced by many teenagers.
Initially focused on rural communities such as Chorkor, the project he stated now depicts urban life as well.
He noted that while organisations such as UNICEF and UNFPA were working to curb teenage pregnancy, stronger government support and nationwide campaigns were needed.
He added that Real Maker Studios was also planning a new project set in a Ghanaian boarding school to explore how education shapes young people.
Audience at the premiere after the launch pointed out that, the series taught them the value of calm and open parent–child relationships, citing the example of a father character in the series who dealt patiently with his daughter’s issues.
According to them, the storyline warned of the dangers of substance use at parties, which in the show led to an unintended pregnancy.
The viewers called for greater support for Ghanaian films to help the local movie industry grow.
They also urged the government to create avenues for social media content creators to monetise their work, especially on platforms like TikTok.
Atoua season two was produced by Real Maker Studios and commissioned by Marie Stopes Ghana with funding support from the Canadian Embassy.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
