About 224,144 youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years across Ghana are said to have used contraceptive under the NO YAWA project. The youth accessed the contraceptives between October 2013 to December 2015.

About 60,000 cases of safe abortions, were achieved as against a target of about 30,000 with almost 400 cases of maternal deaths were averted.

This came to light at a forum organised by the Marie Stope International in Tamale. The project is said to have achieved its targets with a little over 300 facilities.

The Marie Stope International Foundation projected a figure of 166,400 to access the contraceptives but the number increased by 135 percent, project organisers have confirmed.

The project also targeted the training of 1,010 but achieved 1,016 representing 101 percent, with over 59,400 people calling to seek information at various centers on reproductive health.

No YAWA is a platform where adolescents and young adults share ideas and seek knowledge on sexual and reproductive health.

Speaking to Joy News, the Northern Regional Manager for Marie stopes International, Patricia Antwi Bosiako described the project as a huge success.

She said the youth constitute about 31.8 percent of the country's population whose sexual and reproductive needs must be addressed.

Madam Antwi Bosiako said Marie Stopes International works in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service to offer youth friendly services to the adolescents. She said they also provide logistics to the health service to facilitate their work.

Madam Antwi Bosiako said key stakeholders were engaged to create the awareness about the misconceptions people have about youth accessing information about their reproductive health.

According to her, the project achieved success in other areas like the aversion of unintended pregnancies.

Madam Bosiako debunked assertion that the project is intended to ruin the future of the youth, adding, it is rather to address their reproductive health needs, something most of them are unable to discuss with their parents.