DFID votes money in support of PPAG project

Kumasi, Oct 10, GNA - The Department for International Development (DFID) of Britain has committed 500,000 pounds in support of a project initiated by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) designed to help young people make informed decisions on their sexual lives. Dr Joana Nerquaye-Tetteh, Executive Director of the PPAG, who announced this, said the project, dubbed "Young and Wise", initiated two years ago in the country, also sought to empower the youth with skills that could make them more productive.

The Executive Director was speaking at the launch of the Ashanti region 'Young and Wise' project in Kumasi on Thursday. She observed that though the project had been in existence in the country for the past two years and currently in only five regions, it had already made a positive impact on the sexual lives of many young people.

Dr Frances Owusu-Daaku, National President of the PPAG, noted that young people were most at risk of unintended pregnancies, which led to early childbearing, unsafe abortions, the acquisition of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

She said the youth should be at the fore of governmental or non-governmental programmes aimed at fighting HIV/AIDS and other STDs and debunked the notion held by some people that teenagers who abstained from sex might have unsuccessful marriages.

Mrs Matilda Owusu-Ansah, Director of Marketing and Resource Mobilisation of the PPAG, said under the "Young and Wise project", programmes were being drawn to sensitise parents on how to give sex education to their children.