By Stanley Awalime, GNA
Ho (V/R), Sept. 30, GNA - Mama Klebetesi III, President of Queen Mothers Against Teenage Pregnancy (QMATP), has said the development of all societies is linked to the development and progress of women.
“When a girl makes progress in her education, it has a positive impact on the whole community and the nation. The same way when a girl drops out of school, it has a negative impact on the community and the nation,” she said.
Mama Klebetesi, who is also the Queenmother of Mafi-Sasekpe, was speaking at the Obaapa Women and Children’s Day celebration at Akrofu in the Volta Region, -this is part of the annual yam festival (TEZA) of the Traditional Area.
The celebration also marked the one year anniversary of Mamaga Sabea Nyabor VII who is the Queen mother of Akrofu Traditional Area.
Mama Klebetesi asked parents to stop pushing their children into early marriage and help them develop into responsible citizens capable of taking critical decisions and contributing to the development of the country.
“As a woman, your question should be what is my contribution in my daughter’s life; because when your child is good, she is good for the nation and when she is bad, the entire community is also affected,” she said.
Mama Klebetesi said teenage pregnancies and early marriages are denying children of childhood pleasures and robbing them of good future and called on traditional rulers to join the fight.
She said simple bylaws, awareness creation efforts, education and monitoring from all stakeholders, including local assemblies would achieve results.
Mama Klebetesi also called for the establishment of youth centres in all communities with youth friendly sexual reproductive health services to engage young people positively.
As part of the celebration, the Obaapa Development Foundation has given ten teenage mothers from the Akrofu Traditional Area, scholarships to go to school under the Teenage Mothers Back to school project.
Mamaga Nyabor VII, the queen mother of Akrofu Traditional Area, has also donated books to the various schools in her community and organized a cooking competition for the women to highlight on the need for food hygiene.
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