Artisans, apprentices educated on responsible sexual behaviours

Shirley Asiedu Addo May - 19 - 2016 , 16:42

Over 80 artisans and their apprentices in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) municipality have been educated on responsible sexual behaviours.

This was at a programme organised by the National Youth Authority and the Central Regional Coordinating Council, with sponsorship from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), last Tuesday. It took participants through Family Planning Methods, Healthy Sexual Behaviours, the Law on Sexual Abuse and Unplanned Pregnancies and its effects on the family.

The Central Regional Director of the National Youth Authority, Mr William Atikese, said there were many unwanted pregnancies among the youth in the region because they did not have the right information that would help them make the right sexual decisions.

He noted that despite education on responsible sexual lifestyles, a number of the youth failed to practise what they had learnt.

Taking decisions

Mr Atikese said taking decisions on sexual issues had very critical consequences on the country’s socio-economic development and the well-being of the individual, adding that empowering the youth with the right information on responsible sexual lifestyles would make their lives better.

The Director of the Central Regional Coordinating Council, Mr Allan Paintsil, said the council would continue to support efforts to empower the youth in the region to help reduce sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

He noted with concern the high rate of teenage pregnancies in the region and said such educational programmes were essential to help curb such negative issues.

Mrs Juliana Brown of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) said unplanned pregnancies and irresponsible sexual behaviours could change the dreams and aspirations of the youth.