Bolgatanga, July 19, GNA - The Upper East Regional branch for Social Justice, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has expressed concern about the misconduct of juveniles in the Bolgatanga Municipality, particularly those who roam the city late in the night.

It said that children below ten years, majority of them being school children, loiter in the Bolgatanga Township as late as 12 midnight.

The concern was raised in a press release signed by the Regional Coordinator of the NGO, Mr Abubakar Mubarak, copied to GNA in Bolgatanga on Tuesday.

It said: “The situation is even compounded on Wednesdays and weekends when these juveniles are seen either at the premises of night clubs or inside these night clubs, which operate late into the early hours of the following day”.

The statement said that according to the 2006 Regional Health Directorate report, out of 40,949 registered pregnancies in the Region, 6,866 of the cases were teenagers, representing 16.8 per cent.

It cited that the 2007 Regional Health Directorate report revealed that out of the 44,026 registered pregnancies, 6,015 were teenagers, representing 13.6 per cent.

The statement said in the 2008 report, out of a total of 41,026 registered pregnancies, 5,916 were teenagers, representing 14.4 per cent and in 2009 out of a total of 40,666 registered pregnancies, 5,611 were teenagers, representing 13.8 per cent.

The release also expressed worry about the fallen standards of education in the Region, especially regarding the Basic Education Certificate Examination.

It said that most Junior High School students could not gain admission into Senior High School as a result of mass failures.

The statement called on the Municipal Assembly to enact a bylaw to regulate the movement of minors at night, and suggested that parents of who would violate such laws should be fined or made to do communal service.

It suggested to communities to form vigilante and watchdog committees to partner the security agencies to get rid of drug dens in the Municipality.

The statement called on the Department of Social Welfare to periodically visit lorry stations and car parks to determine the number of street children in the Municipality and offer them the necessary assistance.

It asked NGOs and stakeholders to partner government in seeking solutions to youth problems in order to make young people responsible adults in the future.