NGO expresses concern over rising cases of teenage pregnancy in Kogi

The Challenged Parenthood Initiative (CPI), an NGO, has expressed about the increasing rate of teenage pregnancy in Kogi.

The Director of the initiative, Eunice Agbogun disclosed this on Sunday in Lokoja, when the organisation paid the hospital bill of a young girl who gave birth out of wedlock.

Agbogun said that the young mother would be supported by CPI and its partners to take good care of the baby and return to school to continue her education.

The partners, who were at the health facility to show their support included Mrs Elizabeth Adegbola, a retired director in the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and Lokoja Good Will Widows Association.

Others are Mrs Ruth Obakachi based in United Kingdom; Lounge One, an NGO and Kelvin Makoji Foundation, also in the United Kingdom.

Describing the trend as worrisome, Agbogun explained that the development has increased the number of out-of-school girls in the state.

She stressed the need for concerted efforts towards reversing the trend with a view to secure the future of young girls.

According to her, “The development is taking the state backward in the ongoing efforts to empower young girls with education and skills to enable them to live a productive life.

“Our desire is to support young girls to finish their schools and become self-reliant and financially independent.”

She disclosed that CPI along with other partners would set up a platform that would provide some form of support to teenage girls that become pregnant.

She said that the initiative was a way of supporting the government to address the challenge of teenage pregnancy across the state.

She pointed out that some of the teenage girls resort to abortion and lose their lives in the process.

“So, if the young girls are aware that there is a platform, individuals or organisations that they can approach for help, I am sure they won’t go that route.

“The goal is to empower the girls and make sure that they go back to school to continue their education,” she said.

The director called for a massive sensitisation and awareness campaign on sexual and reproductive health in the state.