YILO KROBO MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY ENGAGES YOUNG PEOPLE ON UNFPA/GOG DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly, in collaboration with the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council (ERCC), on Friday, 28th August 2026, held a Review and Tracking Engagement with young people to assess progress in the implementation of key priorities under the UNFPA/Government of Ghana 8th Country Programme (2023–2027).

The Eastern Region is one of the beneficiaries of the programme, which seeks to mainstream Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR) into District Medium-Term Development Plans (DMTDPs).

The engagement brought together young people and key stakeholders to review progress, share experiences, identify challenges, and explore practical ways of strengthening interventions that directly affect the health, education, safety, and well-being of young people in the Municipality.

Speaking at the engagement, the Regional Development Planning Officer, Mr. Michael Agyeman, highlighted the need to strengthen interventions in key areas including adolescent sexual and reproductive health, HIV prevention, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, gender-based violence, education, and youth empowerment.

The Municipal Development Planning Officer, Mr. Adu Kwabena, in his presentation, expressed concern about low contraceptive use, increasing HIV risks among young people, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, harmful traditional practices, and school dropout. He noted that these challenges were particularly evident among boys who are engaged in farming and other economic activities.

With the Municipality’s growing population and a significant proportion of young people, Mr. Adu Kwabena explained that the Assembly recognizes the need for targeted, coordinated, and sustainable interventions to improve youth health, education, livelihoods, and overall social well-being.

As part of the Municipality’s 2026 programme, he indicated that the Assembly plans to expand HIV testing and counselling, condom distribution, comprehensive sexuality education, drug abuse awareness, school engagements, online safety education, and community sensitisation.

He further noted that engagements with traditional leaders would be strengthened to address harmful cultural practices that contribute to teenage pregnancy and other vulnerabilities affecting young people.

The Assembly also intends to collaborate with farmers’ associations to help reduce child labour, promote school retention, and support safe and sustainable livelihoods for young people, including those engaged in motorcycle transport.

The initiative will require a coordinated effort involving the Health, Social Welfare, Education, and Gender sectors, as well as traditional authorities, religious bodies, NGOs, schools, and youth organisations.

Mr. Adu Kwabena emphasized that community ownership, meaningful youth participation, strong stakeholder collaboration, and sustainable municipal financing will be critical to achieving lasting results.

Through these coordinated efforts, the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly seeks to build a healthier, safer, better-educated, and economically empowered generation of young people, while contributing to the broader objectives of the UNFPA/Government of Ghana 8th Country Programme, particularly in addressing preventable maternal deaths, unmet family planning needs, and gender-based violence.