Sunyani: Madam Josephine Yalley, the Bono Regional Girl-Child Education Officer, has praised President John Dramani Mahama for his initiative to include the provision of sanitary pads for school girls in the 2025 Budget Statement. She highlighted that the government's plan to supply sanitary pads to school girls demonstrates President Mahama's efforts to address the challenges faced by girls, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds and rural areas.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, announced the government's allocation of GhS292.4 million for the distribution of free sanitary pads to female students in primary and secondary schools during the presentation of the 2025 Budget Statement to Parliament. This measure aims to tackle menstrual hygiene issues and reduce school absenteeism among female students.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani, Madam Yalley, a gender advocate and Director of Help-her Ghana, an NGO focused on improving the conditions of vulnerable girls, commended President Mahama for this initiative. She emphasized that this move would significantly improve enrolment, retention, transition, and completion rates among girls in schools, while also enhancing their overall confidence.
Madam Yalley further noted President Mahama's commitment to the well-being of the girl-child, expressing hope that the government would continue to address challenges hindering the development of girls in the country. She stated that empowering school girls and boosting their confidence would enable them to assertively tackle issues such as child marriages, forced marriages, and other forms of sexual abuse and exploitation.
The distribution of free sanitary pads fulfills President John Dramani Mahama's 2024 manifesto promise to support girls in basic and senior high schools.
