MP to Quit Politics

Kpone -- The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kpone-Katamanso constituency, Ms. Beatrice Afriyie Ashong, has announced her decision to quit politics at the end of her term (December). She said this was to enable her give more time to her responsibilities in evangelism.

The MP disclosed that she intended to involve herself actively in the fight against teenage pregnancies and HIV/AIDS among girls in her constituency immediately she left office.

She said she had decided to wait till she left office before embarking on such an important project because politics might indict the general nobility and non-partisan nature of her new focus.

Ms. Afriyie said this when she addressed a group of people at an AIDS awareness programme she had organized in conjunction with the Ghana AIDS Commission at Kpone, in her constituency, to educate them on the dangers of the deadly disease, last Thursday.

She explained that her decision to actively involve herself in such a project stemmed from the fact that the rate at which teenage pregnancies was being reported in the constituency had become too alarming.

The programme brought together people from identifiable groups, including representatives of political parties, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the Kpone Traditional Council (KTC), churches, the Volunteer Welcome Association, an international NGO and school children in the town.

Delivering the welcome address, she advised the school children, especially the girls to be wary of the disease, which she reminded them had been killing people all over the world.

She called on mothers in the area to take very good care of their children, especially the girls and educate them on the havoc the disease could cause to their lives.

Mrs. Christiana Eryinan, a midwife from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, who was the speaker at the function, took the audience through the causes of AIDS, the mode of it transmission and how to prevent it.