By PARROTS UG Correspondent
AGAGO:
Agago district gender office has disclosed that the district has registered 1,972 cases of teenage pregnancies in the period of 16 months.
The heartbreaking report was diclosed by the district LCV Chairperson, Leonard Opio Ojok during the meeting with the lower local governments to instruct LCs to monitor and identify all girls victims of teenage pregnancy in their areas.
Chairman Ojok says that between July 2020 and September2 2021, 1,972 girls in Agago district have tested pregnant something that worries authorities. He ordered local council leaders to compile details of the victims, threatening to hunt their defilers.
The Ajali sub county LCV councilllor Richard Opio blames increasing cases of teeenage pregnancies on alcohol and drug abuse . He suggests that the district should prefer to use ordinances to fight the poor alcoholism act among the locals.
On contrary, Benson Lugwar, blames the act on the district leadership. He alleges that the district has abandoned the youth instead of giving support such as sensitizing them on reproductive health benefits.
In addition, Alexander Okidi, the district health committee chairperson also LCV councilor for Lira-Kato sub county stated that addressing the issue of teenage pregnancies require collective efforts. He urged religious and other institution leaders to join local leaders in the fight against the habit that is eating up the nation children.
Recently, the state minister for gender and culture, Peace Mutuuzo blamed high teenage pregnancies in the country on energy drinks which she said enhance their sexual prowess, with the hope of increasing their libido.
“There are a lot of energy drinks in the market these days that deceive our people that they will improve their manpower. This makes me wonder, what do our young people need manpower for? Are they planning to go to war?”
“Once the young men get intoxicated with these drinks, they don’t spare our young girls”. she said.
Minister Mutuzo said that manufacturers of the energy drink brands use attractive names for their products.
“Majority of these energy drinks have been baptized with delicious names like Mukama Nayamba, Aleluya, Praise God, and nowadays you see born again people rushing for these drinks,” Mutuuzo added.
She urged the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to intervene and regulate the market.
