Tonkoase (Ash), Jan 5, GNA - Mr. Francis Kudjoe Dorpenyoh, Adansi South District Chief Executive, has advocated the re-introduction of puberty rites to check pre-marital sex, which was in the increase among the youth.

He attributed the spread of HIV/AIDS among the youth of the country to unprotected pre-marital sex and said the puberty rites, when re-introduced will help to reduce the spread of the disease. Mr Dorpenyoh, who was inaugurating the Tonkoase Number Two District Assembly Junior Secondary School HIV/AIDS Education Club, said it will also save the country from spending huge sums of money on HIV/AIDS programmes which could otherwise be used for development. The DCE advised the pupils to desist from behaviours and actions that were recipe for being infected with the disease but should take their education seriously so that they could be useful citizens. He asked parents to monitor the movements of their wards after school, particularly at night so as to ensure that they did not indulge in any activities that could cost them their lives.

Mr Kwasi Mensah, Adansi South District Health Education Co-ordinator, thanked the Canadian Overseas Development of Education (CODE) for sponsoring HIV/AIDS education in schools in the district for the past three years and hoped they will continue to assist the district.

He advised the executive to lead lives worthy of emulation in the school and in the community in general.