The President of the Central Regional House of
Chiefs, on Thursday expressed concern about the high incidence of teenage pregnancy in the Region and appealed to his colleagues to lead the campaign against pre-marital sex.
Daasebre Kweebu Ewusie VI noted that the vicious cycle of poverty in the region could not be broken if teenage pregnancy was allowed to thrive.
Addressing the first general meeting of the House in Cape Coast, Daasebre Ewusie appealed the Government to offer free Senior High School (SHS) education to girls in the area to encourage
them to access higher education.
He also expressed the need for chiefs to be given a quota in the admission of students into SHS.
Daasebre Ewusie said the Department of Forestry would soon undertake a forestry initiative project in the Region and urged chiefs to release land for the project, to help create employment for the youth and stem poverty.
Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Regional Minister bemoaned the unemployment rate among the youth in the area and urged chiefs to liaise with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies
to evolve measures to engage the youth in
agriculture and other profitable ventures.
The Minister pointed out that armed robbery was on the ascendancy in the region because most of the youth were idle and asked the chiefs to encourage the formation of community watchdogs to help combat the menace.
She also re-echoed the call on chiefs to release land for the Youth in Agriculture Programme.
Touching on girl child education, she said it was about time parents gave proper parental care and support to their children particularly girls to encourage them to aspire to greater
heights in life.