Mama Agbaledzokpui II, Queen Mother of Dzodze Afetefe in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region, has organised an annual get-together for children in the traditional area and called on them to desist from acts that could result in teenage pregnancy.
She said teenage pregnancy continues to frustrate the future of children in the traditional area and asked them to attend to their academic demands to become responsible future leaders.
Mama Agbaledzokpui also cautioned them against drug abuse, armed robbery and early marriages saying such acts would destroy their future.
She advised parents and other stakeholders to ensure that proper care is given to children and their needs provided so they could concentrate on their academic work.
The queen mother expressed concern at the lack of sanitary facilities and libraries in some schools in the Municipality and called on authorities to address the situation to make the school environment appealing to children.
Mama Agbaledzokpui promised to sustain the sensitisation effort against teenage pregnancy in the area through school visits, community durbars and radio programmes.
The Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) of 2014 says about 4.1 per cent of teenagers in the Volta Region are pregnant with their first child and 18 per cent of teenagers have already had a live birth.
The National Population Council says the situation, apart from contributing to high fertility in the region, could lead to several reproductive health complications among adolescents and their children.
