Teenage pregnancy rampant in three districts of Ashanti– PPAG
Teenage pregnancy is rampant in three districts in the Ashanti Region, according to a survey by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG).
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The three districts are the Ejisu-Juaben and Asokore Mampong municipalities and the Ahafo Ano South District.
Apart from that, early marriage is also common in some households in the areas.
At a Public Education forum organised by the PPAG at Apromase in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality, the Middle Zone Manager of the PPAG, Mrs Elizabeth Acheampong, said the PPAG gathered in its survey that one in every five girls was a victim of teenage pregnancy in these three districts.
She said the association looked at the problem with great concern and added that it was important for the public to be wary of the issues leading to the increased cases of early marriage and teenage pregnancy in the area, specifically at Apromase, Asawase and Mankranso.
Early marriages
According to Mrs Acheampong, the PPAG gathered from the study that early marriages were spreading in these areas and that it was common to see a girl aged less than 18 years with children at Apromase, for example, while those in that age group without children were subjected to ridicule.
“In most of the places PPAG has worked on a survey on teenage pregnancy and early marriage, it came to light that the girls would subject their colleagues who were not pregnant or have a child to ridicule”, she stated.
Mrs Acheampong said teenage volunteer clubs had been inaugurated in the three assemblies and that the clubs were to work closely with the PPAG to avert situations of early marriage and teenage pregnancy.
