The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is advocating for stiffer punishment for men who defile girls.
The legislator was of the view that teenage girls couldn’t have given consent to sex and sex-related activities.
Addressing a group of young girls from various schools as part of marking the International Women’s Day, the MP advised girls to stay away from teenage pregnancy.
Speaking in a JoyNews interview, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa revealed that “in recent times, we have met with the District Police Command and we have told them that all the young men who are involved [in teenage pregnancy], it is defilement…We will come heavy on all those men who are found culpable [in such acts].”
He stressed that if you are 13 years, 15 years or 16 years you have no business in what adults do therefore, it is defilement because you couldn’t have given consent.
In motivating the girls to aspire for greater heights, he said “amongst you I see future presidents, future ministers, engineers, teachers, pilots, software experts and entrepreneurs. There is no field that you can mention and not see ladies excelling in them so I am hoping that you would also stay away from teenage pregnancy.”
The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee also commended Inspire Today Foundation for championing the cause of girls.
Meanwhile, Founder of Inspire Today Foundation, Etornam Sey, who put together the function in collaboration with some partners, noted that the visit to the Volta Region has been an eye-opener for her.
She recounted that there are more vulnerable people in rural areas who need help citing the example of girls who have never seen a sanitary pad before nor used one during their menstrual period.
In a bid to keep the girls in school, the foundation presented the girls with sanitary pads, toiletries, soaps among others.
The First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, speaking at a separate forum on this year’s theme for International Women’s Day – ‘Break the biases’ – declared that it is time women negotiate their way into equality and be hungry for the change they seek.
