The prevalence of teenage pregnancy among Ghanaians between the ages of 15 and 19 is almost one-fifth of the global prevalence.

Up to 30% of school dropouts occurring among girls are attributed to teenage pregnancy emanating from social and economic factors.

Paramount Queen Mother of Yamfo, Nana Darkowaa Ampem Kyerewaa II, is advocating heightened parental supervision to control the menace.

Nana Darkowaa Ampem Kyerewaa II, speaking at the Electricity Company of Ghana’s Women in Engineering Career Guidance Program for Female JHS Students, emphasized that parents hold major responsibility for guiding their girls.

She admonished frequent, random and diligent supervision of the characters of young females.

“Parents have lost sight of taking care and being cautious of the movements of their children. The fact that they are in schools means, does not mean they are secure.

“Liaise with teachers to find out the progress of your child, do frequent checkups, the actions and behaviours they put up. This will inform your next strategy to ensure their security.  Social agencies can't do it all. The major responsibility lies on parents,” she said.

The Electricity Company of Ghana’s Women in Engineering Career Guidance Program is a sensitization event organized in collaboration with the Gender and Social Inclusion Unit to commemorate International Women’s Day.

Nana Darkowaa Ampem Kyerewaa II lauded the efforts of women breaking stereotypes to lead.

“We appreciate all women who are breaking boundaries to take up High offices and ranks. And we want to see more women join the leadership space. I believe the students here with the education will come out perfectly as women of substance,” she said.

The Career Guidance and Counseling Program assembled female junior high school students, field experts and corporate leaders under the theme: “Inspire Inclusion, while Supporting Girls into Leadership, Decision-making, Business and STEM”.

The program followed an open forum to address peculiar questions on career paths, deeper understanding of International Women’s Day and professional life tricks.

President of ECG Women in Engineering, Ing. Miriam Korantema Amponsah highlighted that promoting inclusion will bridge gender gaps in male-dominated careers.

“Promote career guidance and mentoring, thus demystifying women in engineering. Advocate for more girls in the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels to venture into the field of engineering.

“Our focus is on girls because there is a huge gender gap in the engineering field in the workplace, where the female is the least represented. We need to groom the young girls now to be interested in engineering today, to take steps to become the future female engineers who would bridge this gender gap,” she said.

This year’s Chapter of Career Guidance and Counseling Program by ECG WinE also promotes the 25th Anniversary celebration of WinE Ghana.