Over 100,000 cases of teenage pregnancy are recorded across Ghana every year, according to a five-year research by the Sunyani-based non-profit Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF).
Speaking at the launch of a project dubbed “Resilient City for Adolescents”, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GLOMEF, Raphael Godlove Ahenu, said that more than 12,000 cases of teenage pregnancy had been recorded in the old Bono Ahafo area since 2013.
Ahenu said the project would help reduce teenage pregnancy, which was a big issue in Ghana, and revealed that 1,500 adolescents would benefit directly from the project, while 3,000 would experience its positive impact.
The Bono Regional Director of the Department of Children, George Yaw Ankamah, commended GLOMEF for the project as it would help address issues affecting adolescents.
The Resilient City for Adolescents project by the Global Media Foundation, among others, seeks to ensure the empowerment of adolescents to become active citizens.
It also focuses on improving the health and well-being of adolescents in intermediary cities of the global south.
Implementing countries are Colombia, Ghana, Senegal, Vietnam, India, and Ecuador.
The project aims to create a resilient system for adolescents and will recognise young individuals from the ages of 9-21 years as crucial stakeholders in forging sustainable solutions for evolving cities.
The project is funded by the Foundation Botnar of the UK to the tune of 300,000 pounds under its Healthy Cities for Adolescents initiative and will last for three years.
The launch of the project was attended by officials of the Gender Ministry and representatives from security agencies, including police, prisons, and fire services, among others.
An adolescent parliament was also inaugurated at the event. Under it, Sunyani has been zoned into 19 constituencies where issues affecting adolescents will be discussed during sittings.
