Three persons have been arrested by the Oda Divisional Police Command in connection with the alarming teenage pregnancy cases at Ofoase-Ayirebi in the Eastern Region.
The three suspects include 64-year-old Kwame Adjei, accused of impregnating his 14-year-old stepdaughter.
He allegedly had multiple sexual intercourse with the stepdaughter whenever the wife is away from the house.
The victim, a final year Junior High School(JHS) pupil preparing to write Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) delivered two weeks ago.
The two other suspects are teenagers who allegedly locked and defiled two siblings aged 12 and 15 years in a room impregnating the latter.
The police operation was facilitated by Ark Development Organization, a not-for-profit organization implementing an intervention funded by UNICEF dubbed “Safe and Protective Environment for Adolescent Development (SPREAD) with ‘Cross Your Leg’ as the campaign slogan to combat alarming teenage pregnancy cases in the district.
Sexual and Gender-based violence against minors have become pervasive in the Ofoase Ayirebi constituency resulting in high rates of early pregnancy.
The district occupied the top position in the Eastern region in 2021 but dropped to second position in 2022 regarding teenage pregnancy.
Unfortunately, there is no office for Domestic Violence and Victims Supports Unit (DOVVSU) at Ofoase District Police Command.
DOVVSU unit at Oda Divisional Command oversees the Ofoase area, however, has no vehicle to aid its operations.
Executive Director of Ark Development Organisation, Emmanuel Kwarfo Mintah, is worried that DOVVSU is incapacitated by a lack of logistics, hence sexual, and Gender-based violence continue to fester at Ofoase Ayirebi with impunity.
“Looking at the situation we have to do something about it so today we planned to arrest some of the guys so we were able to arrest three guys one from Kwaboadi, an elderly man who impregnated JHS pupil. We’re doing this to deter others from doing that. DOVVSU, they don’t have any logistics to work with. They don’t have a vehicle or motorbike, nothing even materials to work with. It is very difficult for them so it is not encouraging to do this operation again because they don’t have vehicles we have to use our own car to foot the bills of the victims to come to the police station and all these costs.
“So, looking at the situation I don’t think they can proceed to deal with the rest of the issues because we have about over 170 issues to address but the means is not there. So, we appeal to government to resource DOVVSU they are doing a very good job but there is no support or logistics to work with,” Mr Minta said.
According to the project Officer David Kwaning, out of the one hundred and fifty (153) teenage mothers identified in the Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency in 2022, hundred could not get fathers for their children as men were mentioned to be responsible for their pregnancies and denied responsibilities.
“We identified 153 adolescent mothers and this year the number is still counting as I speak to you we have about 70 plus teenage mothers. The saddest aspect is that the majority of men who got these girls pregnant refused to accept responsibility. In one of the communities, a girl was claiming three men were responsible for the pregnancy.
“She couldn’t identify the particular person who got her pregnant. This situation is worrying. So, in the future they are going to have over 100 children who do not know their fathers,” David Kwaning said.
Some residents backed the action of the Police and NGO to arrest men impregnating teenagers in the district.
“The arrest is very important to deter them because what the guys are doing in the community is bad. Impregnating the young girls, especially the okada riders they have been doing that mostly,” a parent lamented.
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