First Lady of the Republic, Rebecca Akufo-Addo has disclosed that the elimination of child marriages in Ghana and the retention of girls in school is top on her priority list.

Delivering her welcome address at an event held at the forecourt of her office at Ridge to mark International Women’s Day under the theme “Press for Progress”, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo said the inability of the country to retain her girls in school directly impacts on the high levels of child marriages and teenage pregnancies the nation is saddled with.

She emphasized that the current policy of free education in Ghana from nursery to Senior High School (SHS) Will be meaningless if the country cannot get it’s young ladies to take advantage of it.

In Attendance

This year’s forum to make international Women’s Day had the Second Lady, Samira Bawumia, former first ladies, Fulera Limann and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, as well as Former Second Lady, Hajia Alima Mahama, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei were in attendance.

Female Justices of the Superior Courts of Judicarure, Queen mothers, female members of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana, market women, and female industry plays also participated in the event.

Panel Discussion

A panel four analysis moderated by former media icon and current head of personal banking at Access bank, Matilda Asante. The for of the panel discussion centred on the policy guidelines that can be introduced to help deal with the issues of child marriages and retention of the girl child in school.