Apam (C/R), Oct. 20, GNA - Implementing agents of Africa Youth Alliance (AYA) project in Gomoa, have held a meeting at Apam on Tuesday to plan strategies to procure funding to sustain the project when it comes to an end in March 2005.

AYA is a programme directed towards the youth, especially their sexual reproductive health, in four African countries, Ghana, Botswana, Tanzania and Uganda.

Gomoa is one of five districts executing the programme in the Central Region.

It is being managed by Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), Pathfinder International and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation of the United States of America.

The implementing agents in Ghana include the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ghana Health Service, Ghana National Population Council and the National Youth Council.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Paul Djan, Central Regional Population Officer, said though the result of population management programmes took time to manifest, the indicators had shown that the AYA project was making positive impact in the districts, which were implementing the programme.

Mr Djan said Gomoa, which was one of the districts with a high teenage pregnancy rate had had that record reduced considerably through its involvement in the AYA project. He appealed to district assemblies and donor agencies to provide funds to sustain the programme when the managers withdrew their support in March next year. Mr Eric Akobeng, Gomoa District Focal Person of the AYA project called for integration of the project into the Assembly's annual budget estimates.

He advised the implementing agents to source for funds from organisations, ministries and departments and individuals to sustain the programme. "Withdrawal of the support of the managers should not be the end of the programme", he added. 20 Oct. 04