Adolescent girls in Basic Schools in the Ayawaso Central Municipality in the Greater Accra Region were last Friday presented with quantities of sanitary pads. The package formed part of President John Dramani Mahama’s campaign promise to keep the girl child in school.
Each girl received four packages as the first tranche.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Rudolph Collinson-Williams, presenting the pads urged the girls not to see the menstrual period as an excuse to skip school but rather be energised to go about their normal duties without any hindrance since it is a devine moment that ushers young girls into adulthood.
“It is because of you that the President promised to support you during that critical moment in order to undertake your normal duties especially your educational activities without any hindrance’’ He added.
The MCE urged the beneficiaries to observe the best hygienic conditions in order to stay safe and comfortable everywhere they find themselves.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Abdul Rauf Kubaze, said the package formed part of government’s resetting agenda to promote girl child education.
According to him, no girl should be allowed to stay out of school through no fault theirs but rather as part of God’s creation.
The pads he indicated are standerdised with special features to protect them at all times and urged them not to burden their parents any more during such times as government has taken that burden off the shoulders of parents.
The MP urged the girls to take their education seriously as mouth watering scholarship packages have been made available for them in the Municipality in order support them progress in the academic calender to the Tertiary level.
He said plans are also far advanced to provide schools in the area with the needed logistics and other materials to promote education in all public schools.
The Principal Nursing Officer at the Municipal Health Directorate Forces, Ahadzi, urged the girls not to panic or fell shy during their menstruation but rather take good care of their personal hygiene by bathing twice a day as well wash their under wear and sun dry them.
She charged them to change their pads while in school in order not to stain their uniforms especially those with heavy flow.
The Human Officer at the Municipal Education Directorate, Madam Ivy Hayiku-Ocansey, commended the government for fulfilling it campaign promise to the girls and assured of adopting strict monitoring to ensure that the pads are given to the right beneficiaries.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA AKPALU
