MIRIGU: Traditional council enacts bye laws to curb teenage pregnancy in the area.

The Traditional Council at Mirigu in the Upper East Region is saddened by the continuous school drop outs among girls in the area due to teenage pregnancy. The people engage in farming and petty trading for survival. They however believe that education is the best a parent can give to his or her female child but the teenage pregnancy has become their major challenge. The chief and elders at a community durbar organized by a Non-Governmental Organization known as Young Urban Women Movement, a Power to Youth Project in the region have launched some bye-laws to curb the increasing numbers of teenage pregnancies in the area.

Any man who impregnates a teenage school girl in the Mirigu Community is likely to incur the wrath of the chief and his elders. One would be fined a female cow and two female sheep when you impregnate a school girl. In addition to the fine, the man responsible for the pregnancy would be required to pay for antenatal expenses until the girl puts to bed. The child would also be catered for until he or she is seven years. These were contained in a new set of bye-laws introduced and agreed on by the traditional authorities at a community durbar in the Upper East Region. This is expected to reduce the rising numbers of teenage pregnancies in the area. The Paramount Chief of Mirigu Naba Anthony Anonsona Abisa Atasige asked the youth to take note of the bye law seriously. He added that the female cow would reproduce and serve as source of income to support the child in the event that the man is no more.

The Chief and Participants at the Community Durbar

President of the Power to Youth Project Miss Dorcas Zoogah commended the people of Mirigu for showing concern and commitment towards eliminating the canker in the community. She said the Power to Youth Project is focused on unintended pregnancies, child marriage and gender based violence among others. She applauded the chief and elders for putting a ban on overnight ceremonies such as passing out, graduation and outdooring of babies among other entertainment and social events which has been identified as contributing to the high rate of teenage pregnancies.

A Queen Mother of the Mirigu Traditional Area Akansake Jemima said teenage pregnancy has truncated the future of many young girls in the Mirigu community. She appealed to the District Assembly to give approval to the bye laws as soon as possible. The community durbar on Negative Social Norms and women development seeks to create a platform for education, dialogue and collective action. This is expected to address unintended pregnancies, gender based violence and harmful practices.

 

By: Peter Agengre