Mpohor (W/R) Aug. 18,- GNA- Miss Jessica Akuma, a 13-year-old pupil of the Mpohor District Council Junior Secondary School has noted that the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy in the Mpohor Wassa East District was due to parental pressure.

She alleged that some mothers ask their teenage daughters to provide fish for the family's evening meal and those who cannot do it, are compelled to eat their supper without fish.

Ms. Akuma made this revelation at the launch of the International Day against Drug Abuse at Mpohor on Thursday.

The celebration was on the theme: "Drugs are not child's play". Ms. Akuma said due to this demand by some mothers, some of her colleagues have resorted to engaging in early sex to make money and provide fish for the home.

She said about four of her classmates became pregnant about six months ago.

She noted that children who could not provide the "evening meal fish" either eat their food without fish or sleep without supper. Ms. Akuma therefore, appealed to mothers engaged in the practice to stop pushing their daughters into early sex. Mr. Edward Tawiah-Amprofi, District Chief Executive confirmed the act and advised parents to properly plan their family sizes to minimise the practice.

He said the request from girls to provide fish for supper apart from ruining their educational opportunities, also deprived them of their childhood lives. He stressed that apart from drugs, locally produced alcohol popularly known, as Akpeteshie had become a major killer in the district.

Mr. Tawiah-Amprofi stressed that several youths in some communities have died from excessive consumption of the drink. He noted that apart from Akpeteshie destroying their physical strength it has also made many of them lazy and beggars. Osabarima Kwaw Entsie II, Omanhene of Mpohor appealed to parents to closely monitor their children and the times they sleep. He cautioned that it was unlawful for any adult to befriend a teenager and therefore reminded the community to desist from such acts. The Omanhene advised the community to avoid the consumption of unapproved drugs, steroids and minimise their consumption of Akpeteshie.