NYC decries growing rate of teenage-single mothers in Anambra

NYC decries growing rate of teenage-single mothers in Anambra

Anambra State National Youth Council (NYC), has decried the growing rate of single teenage mothers in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra.

Mr Stanley Nkala, the Coordinator, NYC in Awka South, expressed his dissatisfaction at a forum organized by the Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC) and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Awka on Thursday.

Nkala said that the single-teenage mothers were not financially, mentally, physically and psychologically fit to make reasonable decisions, let alone raise a child that would become responsible members of the society.

He said that many children given birth to by single-teenage mothers became perpetrators of crimes and contribute to insecurity in the society, due to lack of proper parental care and upbringing.

“This issue is becoming a problem in Awka South. Some of these girls were married off early and because they are too young to handle the union, they were abandoned by their husbands.

“Some other girls become pregnant due to ignorance and irresponsible sexual behaviours.

“Paternal care and protection, as well as proper upbringing, play a huge role in the life of a child. And without these, a child can easily become wayward and irresponsible.

“Many of these children are getting involved in crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and killings. So, we need to nip this menace in the bud before it makes our society unlivable,” he said.

Nkala also said that NYC was planning to organize a workshop in primary and secondary schools to educate the girl-child on the need to be sexually responsible to avoid teenage pregnancy.

He also decried the exorbitant cost of marriage rites, saying that it had discouraged many eligible bachelors from venturing into marriage, thereby contributing to the growing number of single mothers in the state.

“Such outrageous cost of marriage rites discourages many bachelors from even attempting marriage; the result is that many young girls cannot find husbands while some resort to becoming single mothers.

“There is the need to make the process affordable so as to restore the sanctity of the marriage institution and discourage our girls from becoming single mothers,” he said.

In his remarks, Mr Alphonsus Nwoye, the Manager, JDPC Onitsha/FCDO project, said there was the need to review the high demands for marriage rites in the state to enable young men and women to get married.

“We will come up with our recommendations and plan visits to the state government, traditional rulers in the communities so that these issues will be thoroughly considered,” Nwoye said. (NAN)

NYC decries growing rate of teenage-single mothers in Anambra