The South Tongu District of the Volta Region is plagued with the scourge of mass teenage pregnancies, according to the community's opinion leaders. The Ghana News Agency reported that there was record numbers of teenage school-going, breastfeeding mothers in the area – a report confirmed by the Member of Parliament for South Tongu Constituency. One of the mothers, who dropped out of school at age 15, gave a chilling account of the circumstances leading to her pregnancy and how, many of her classmates got pregnant while in school. The mother of two told Joy News’ Sammy Darko the children are two and four years. How did you get pregnant? She chuckles, and says “that time I was suffering because [I didn’t] have money. He (the father of my kids) promised to give me money [in return for sex].” Did the money come? “Small, small,” she answered. She said she was living with the father of her kids but added they were not yet married because the boy had no money since they were both students when she became pregnant. They were in the second year at Junior High school when they dropped out. Even though she hopes to go back to school, lack of the financial wherewithal (she is currently selling sachet water on the streets), coupled with the joblessness of her boy friend (never mind he is merely an untrained mason), pushes that dream far into the future. The young mother revealed that more than 20 members of her class all dropped out of school as a result of pregnancy. Confirming the worrying situation, the MP for South Tongu, Mr Kobla Mensah Woyome attributed the situation to too many late night functions. He told Joy News he has observed more girls get pregnant from affairs they have at wake-keepings and other functions allowed to travel deep into the night. Statistics available at the south Tongu District Directorate of Education shows increasing trend of teenage pregnancy. The MP told Joy News another precursor of the situation is the inability of parents to control their girls who love to attend late night activities which make them vulnerable. Mama Adokua Azawogbe Dumenya of the Guidance and Counselling Unit of the District Directorate of Education, told Joy News she had been fighting a losing battle for years on account lack of resources and poor parental control. She said despite her untiring efforts, the situation worsened as more and more girls (some at the primary school level) got pregnant and consequently dropped out of school. The MP promised to make resources available to her to continue with the fight. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana