The gender minister for Ghana announces the government’s commitment to curbing socio-cultural practices that frown at the development and welfare of young girls in Ghana.
She made this statement on a recent visit to Tamale while speaking to the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, Chief of Tamale, Naa Dakpema Alhassan Dawuni and the Gulkpegu Naa Alhaji Alhassan Abdulai.
The reason for this commitment is to gear up the government to stop the process of early child marriage that has taken over Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana.
According to the minister, Parents in these regions now trade their children’s education for marriage. About 39.2%, 37% and 36% of children in the Northern, Upper West and Upper East Regions are already married before the clocked 18, she noted.
In essence, the minister is willing to direct her focus to the issue with immediate effect and she also considers other areas of problems that the regions are faced with through the government initiated Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.
