Member of parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, is pushing teenage girls in the country who cannot control their sexual drive to either have sex during their ‘safe’ periods or use condoms to avoid teenage pregnancy.
“That period of ovulation, if you do it [have sex] you will get pregnant, don’t have sex [but] if you want to have sex, use a condom, we can’t stop you!” he said in parliament while contributing to discussion on teenage pregnancy.
Though the MP argued abstinence is the best in the quest to reduce the alarming rate of teenage pregnancy in Ghana, he observed that a lot of teenage girls couldn’t abstain from sex.
For such teenage girls, Mr. Afenyo-Markin underscored the need to give them proper sex education, which should be centred on the need for them to practice safe sex.
“The temptation will be there when you finish your [menstrual] cycle; that period, five days, there will be that urge to do it [have sex].
“If you know you’re 18 [years] and above and you cannot be a good Christian, you can’t be a good Muslim, and you want to have sex, Mr. Speaker, ultimately abstinence is the best but many of them cannot abstain. They cannot, so they must use condom,” he stated.
Mr. Afenyo explained his viewpoint is not in anyway to undermine “our religious values”.
He argued that the issue of teenage pregnancy in the country was a serious matter hence the need for people to be realistic and be bold to talk about sex education and not pretend.
The reality, he said, was that teenage girls were having sex, “so if you want to have sex, have sex when you have your safe period but use condom if you’re not safe. That is what they must know.
“I’m not an idealist, I’m a realist. I am educating the younger ones that if they want to do it they should do it in their safe period. I’m saying it without mincing words because you cant stop them. You cannot pretend that you can stop them,” he stated.
Meanwhile MP for North Dayi, Joyceline Tetteh in making a statement on the increasing rate of teenage pregnancy in the North Dayi District, described the situation as being on the ascendency, particularly in her district, Onua FM’s Omari-Acheampong reported.
Our reporter said the MP attributed the menace to many factors including youthful exuberance, exploitation of sexuality of the teenager, lack of parental control or guidance, drug abuse, peer pressure, and the absence of sex education.
Ms. Tetteh observed teenage pregnancy is a major cause of maternal mortality in Ghana, hence called on Parliament to focus their energies on addressing those factors rather than isolating pregnant teenagers for condemnation.
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