Teenage pregnancy and early sexual activity are rising at an alarming rate in Ghana’s coastal communities, according to the Executive Director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah.

Speaking with GhanaWeb's Etsey Atisu, he expressed worry over the trend, which was featured in the latest documentary by GhanaWeb, titled "Sex for Fish".

He revealed that in towns such as Sekondi, Takoradi, Agona, Bortianor, and Jamestown, many teenage girls engage in sexual activities as a means to earn a livelihood.

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“We (Child Rights International) have worked extensively in these areas, and the documentary you (GhanaWeb) have done confirms this. When you pick the coastal areas, there are two things that is prevalent in the community; they engage in early sex and then there are a lot of teenage mothers.

"The research we have conducted started from Takoradi, Agona, Bortianor, Jamestown and Prampram. In the research, we realised that most of them are sexually active, and they engage in early sex. It is more like a norm; there is more or less a competition among them regarding who can give birth early. So, the highest education level you find among the teens is JHS," he noted.

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The documentary, "Sex for Fish", brings to light the social and economic pressures underpinning exploitation of young girls.

It further stressed the need for policymakers, community leaders, and parents to take proactive steps to protect vulnerable adolescents and also curb teenage pregnancies along Ghana's coastal areas.

Watch the video below:



JKB/VPO

GhanaWeb's latest documentary, Sex for Fish, that explores the plights of teenage girls in coastal communities, all in an attempt to survive, is out. Watch it below: