Funerals banned at Komenda over increasing teenage pregnancy

The Komenda Traditional Council has banned funerals and wake-keeping over the rising teenage pregnancy in the area.

Omanhene of Komenda, Nana Kojo Kru, says the traditional council will be delegating sub-chiefs and queen mothers to monitor the rate of teenage pregnancies in the respective communities after they hold an emergency meeting on the issue.

Komenda, located in Central Region capital Cape Coast, is bounded on the east by Elmina, on the west by Sham and, on the north by Wasa.

“Wake-keeping and such things we have banned all of them from this area so that [teenage girls] will not attend these events,” said the Komenda paramount chief.

A recent UNICEF report revealed that Cape Coast, the Central Region capital, is leading in child prostitution cases in Ghana.

“We have realized that this [funerals and wake-keepings] is the problem. This is the only way to solve the problem because we can’t control the feelings of people”, Nana Kojo Kru said.

Meanwhile, a UNICEF-PPAG collaboration is set to help reduce child prostitution in the area.

Child prostitutes in the metropolis would be mobilised and given vocational training to help them generate income.

Poverty has been identified as the main factor forcing teenage girls to engage in prostitution.

-myjoyonline