Parents have been urged to dedicate ultimate attention to the welfare of their daughters to ensure that they turn out to be the responsible citizens they yearn for.

Sipim of Manya-Aklomuase in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area of the Eastern Region, Dr. Nene Sipim Narh Terkpertey II reminded parents of their significant role in raising a future generation who are conscious of the challenges of the girl child.

Addressing a gathering of teachers and hundreds of pupils from ten basic schools in yilo krobo to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child held at the Yilo Krobo Senior High School in the Eastern Region, the traditional leader decried the inability of some parents to ensure adequate upbringing of their daughters, a situation that leaves much to be desired.

“We’re pleading with the parents to keep their eyes on the daughters because when they get to a certain stage and the parents are unable to provide certain things, they stand the risk of being taken advantage of by boys and men,” he said.

Inspire Today, an NGO which focuses on advocating for the cause of girls in rural and deprived communities by providing them with sanitary pads, other personal hygiene items, and educational materials, marked the day with basic and senior high school girls in Yilo Krobo.

Dr. Terkpertey advocated for regular interventions from the district assemblies to partner parents in addressing basic needs of children, particularly the girls to reduce the risk of waywardness.

The revered traditional leader also expressed concern about male relatives of some girls taking advantage of the situation to sexually exploit these vulnerable girls.

He furthered: “We recognize the challenges girls face, but also their potential and achievements,” he observed. Furthering he suggested various approaches which in his opinion, could help promote the girls’ welfare and wellbeing and avert abuse.

The NGO as part of celebrating the day, presented sanitary pads, soaps, sanitary towels, deodorants, shaving sticks, educational materials. The items, according to the executive director are meant towards supporting girls practice safe menstruation to enable them attend school during their periods.

Founder and Executive Director of Inspire Today, Etornam Sey, explained the rationale behind the commemoration. “We want to promote clean hygienic menstruation, also, we know that, that should go a long way to ensure that the girls stay in school and they don’t drop out of school,” said miss Sey.

Attributing the rising incidents of sexual exploitation of teenage girls to the lack of money to afford basic needs of girls such as sanitary pads, deodorants, shaving sticks, soap, etc., she bemoaned that girls are forced to enter into sexual relationships with men to enable them earn a living, a situation that sometimes results in unwanted pregnancies.

According to her, the organization settled on Yilo Krobo following a distressing call from the municipal education directorate concerning rising incidents of child marriages, parental neglect and teenage pregnancy.

She also criticized some parents for encouraging their daughters into entering into amorous relationships with men in exchange for monetary gains.

The group partnered renowned brands like Asempa publishers, worma Africa, step publishers, The group partnered renowned brands like Step Publishers, Wilmar Africa and Asempa Publishers to extend support to these vulnerable girls in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana.

On her part, Manye Yotsei, Noyam Manye (Developmental Queenmother) of Akwenor in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area was particularly relieved that the event provided a platform for the girls to express themselves regarding the challenges they go through on a regular basis.

She observed at the event that though some parents shirked their responsibilities, some of the girls also lacked respect to their parents at home.

Manye Yotsei used the platform to educate the girls on the proper handling and use of the pad during their menstrual flow and also admonished them to be of the best behaviour at home to encourage their parents to give off their best towards their welfare. According to her, queen mothers were obliged to intervene by involving parents as part of efforts to improve on and ensure a healthy parent/daughter relationship at home in order to create a healthy atmosphere for the upbringing of the latter.

The queen mother urged parents to give off their best to their daughters to ensure that they grow up to become responsible persons to society.