The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional area, Naba Baba Salifu Aleemyarum has expressed worry over the rise in teenage pregnancy and sexual immorality among the youth of Bongo.
According to him, although several interventions have been made by several stakeholders, the number of teenage pregnancy cases in Bongo keeps increasing by the day which has been a worry to him and his chiefs.
The chief made this known when the Upper East regional minister, Hon. Rockson Bukari, his deputy, Fuseini Frank Adongo and a high powered delegation paid a courtesy call on him at his palace in Bongo.
Naba Baba Salifu Aleemyarum noted that a major cause of the rise in Teenage pregnancy was the spinning of sound systems during funerals in the various communities.
“Another issue that is affecting us in Bongo is the high rate of teenage pregnancy. We think that we need to do a lot about that. Some issues have come out and we think that is the cause of the astronomical rise in the number of teenage pregnant girls. One of them is using the electronic gadget to spin at funerals. We sat here and talked about it and all the chiefs identified it as a cause. The young men think they have acquired their gadgets and they need to make money from them. Yes! But it should not be to the detriment of our young girls.”
“When we have funerals and it is 4:00pm then these guys will mount their sound systems and that will draw the youth and teenagers to the place and that is the time they will also come and undertake their nocturnal activities. The following morning you will find condoms around and those who don’t use condoms are also there. The following morning, they will go to class and sleep the whole day and these activities have led to the increase in teenage pregnancy in Bongo,” a worried Naba Baba Salifu said.
He noted that he and his chiefs have resolved to ban spinning of sound systems during funerals but indicated that they are handicapped since there are no by-laws supporting the ban and therefore called on the Regional minister to institute a process to give them a legal backing.
