The Municipal Chief Executive for the West Mamprusi Municipality, Mohammed Rabiu Jabaah, has pledged to ensure that new school buildings in the municipality have decent changing rooms for girls to manage their period.

This, he said, will ensure a menstrual period-friendly environment in the area.

Mr Jabaah said this when he participated in this year's Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration organised by Plan International Ghana in Walewale.

World Menstrual Health Day is set aside each year on the 28th of May to create awareness and to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management.

As part of this year's events, Plan International Ghana celebrated the day with students of the Walewale Senior High Technical School.

The Municipal Chief Executive added that he was keenly monitoring the roll-out of the free sanitary pad distribution by the government and would ensure the municipality got its fair share.

The Headmaster of the Walewale Senior High Technical School, Reverend Ibrahim Sebiyam, appealed to Plan International Ghana to support the school with a toilet facility and water for the girls, highlighting the challenges the students faced.

"Currently, our girls are struggling because their toilet facilities are either in a deplorable state, dysfunctional as a result of inadequate water, or abandoned. They sometimes find it difficult to change when in their menses. Due to the inadequate number of toilet facilities coupled with the large number of girls, some are compelled to do open defecation," he said.

The Country Director for Plan International Ghana, Constant Tchona, reaffirmed his outfit's commitment to partnering with government and communities to promote menstrual equity and gender equality. We cannot achieve equality if periods are treated as problems. We cannot build a thriving Ghana if menstruation pushes girls to the margins," Mr Constant said.

He handed over 1000 reusable sanitary pads to students of the school.

The North East Regional Minister, Ibrahim Tia, on his part, commended Plan International Ghana for its unwavering commitment to the development of communities in the area.

He said Plan International Ghana interventions under the Integrated Package for Sustainable Development (IPADEV) project are exemplary and deeply impactful.

"Notable achievements of the project include the construction of six boreholes fitted with hand pumps and four limited mechanised water systems in the Tinguri Zone. Additionally, the Tinguri Water System has been rehabilitated through a partnership with the Community Water and Sanitation Agency.
Provision of girl-friendly institutional latrines, equipped with menstrual hygiene facilities, aimed at improving comfort and privacy for female students and the distribution of reusable sanitary pads and comprehensive menstrual hygiene education, helping to dispel myths and reduce absenteeism among girls," he said.

Mr Tia added that the donation of early childhood furniture, round tables and chairs to 10 basic schools has improved the learning environment for the young ones.

He, however, appealed to Plan International Ghana to include more communities in the operational areas.