By Benjamin Akoto
Jema (BE/R), Oct. 1, GNA – Mr Goro Mutaru Iddrisu, the Programme Analyst, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ghana, has commended the Bono East Regional Coordinating Council for the support in implementing the Fund’s adolescent training project in the region.
He emphasised the significance of the RCC’s unwavering support and commitment to the project, which demonstrated the positive influence of the programme on the region.
Mr Iddrisu was speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Jema in the Kintampo South District at the end of a monitoring exercise of some community projects by the UNFPA’s officials from Accra.
The team assessed and evaluated the progress of the projects’ implementation, achievements, challenges, lessons learnt and the way forward.
The team observed “a noticeable positive impact” on the beneficiaries during the engagement, who effectively expressed what they had learnt.
“The encouraging outcome had motivated the UNFPA to persist in its efforts to strive for even greater results,” Mr Iddrisu said.
He, however, acknowledged the existence of challenges that demanded attention, amongst which were the urgent need for a rescue habitat for victims of sexual and gender-based violence and child-marriage, which were top priority issues.
To overcome the above and related challenges, he called for intensive core-coordination among the implementation partners, health partners, and civil society organisations, saying strengthening that coordination would contribute to the overall success of the programme.
In a related interview, Ms Linda Adzo Dormepkor, a Senior Programmes Officer at the Ministry of Finance and a member of the monitoring team, recounted a male beneficiary confessing that prior to the training on sexual and gender-based violence, he struggled to differentiate between the terms defilement and rape.
All he knew was that victims should report the case, seek counseling and receive medical attention, however, with the education, he had gained understanding of the two terms and the dangers posed to victims.
GNA