FORMER FIRST Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings has expressed grave concern about the influx of young girls from the North to work as porters popularly known as ‘kayayei’ in Accra and Kumasi.

Speaking in special mothers’ documentary awareness and campaign to halt the migration and provide an educational future for the girls, the former First Lady said she was worried about what she described as the violation of their dignity and rights, saying “they are beautiful, intelligent and very proud people but because of circumstances they are on the streets.”

“Northern leaders and parents should be educated with programs to prevent the movement of precious children to become pawns in the hands of other people,” she noted.

The campaign entitled “Life is a stage: let us show compassion to Kayayei” features prominent women including Alicia Amprey Samuel, Human Rights Coordinator, US Embassy, Gina Blay, Chief Executive Officer, the Western Group, publishers of Daily Guide, Deputy UK High Commissioner, Caron Rohsler, the Chief Justice, Georgina Wood, wife of NPP flag bearer, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Sharon Bar-li, Israeli Ambassador to Ghana.

Others who are involved in the program are Speaker of Parliament, Joyce Bamford Addo, Hajia Sinare, Ivy Manly-Spain of Servister, Wereko Brobbey of Bibiani Timbers, Elizabeth Robertson, former IGP, Yvette Atepke of Internet Solution, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe of the Peace and Love Hospital and Cynthia Aduonum, CEO, Goldkey Properties.

Director of the Pamela Bridgewater Project, Yahaya Alhassan expressed gratitude to Nana Konadu for her child and women empowerment advocacy work saying over the decades, the issue of child and women’s activism had been the former first lady’s cherished identity.

Alhassan called on SADA to help construct the Pamela Bridgewater Children’s Village at Tampion in the Savelgu-Nanton district to absorb needy girls from the three northern regions to help prevent their migration to the south in search non-existent jobs.

He pointed out that the best way to reduce poverty in the north was to invest in girls and women.

They presented Nana Konadu an art work and a souvenir in appreciation for her contribution to the campaign.