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Some riders of tricycles, popularly known as ‘pragya’, have been blamed for teenage pregnancies in Adansi Asokwa and it environs in the Ashanti Region by some residents.
Some community leaders in the district told The Mirror in a chat that teenage pregnancy was on the increase, adding that 30 young girls between the ages of 12 and 15 had been impregnated by the tricycle riders.
According to them, the riders enticed the girls with money, noodles, mobile phones and a “jolly” ride from home to school and back.
A community leader at Adansi Asokwa, Wofa Yaw Boadi, explained that because of the money the riders made out of the business, one rider could afford two or three girlfriends.
These riders, he said, were between the ages of 16 and 25.
They said the communities mostly affected in the district included Adansi Adiembra, Adansi Asokwa, Asokwa Junction, Adansi Brofoyedru, Adansi Tewobaabi and Adansi Bodwesango.
Reaction of parents
A number of parents who spoke to The Mirror in Twi said , “Pragyafoɔ nu ayem nkwadaa 3wɔ mantem ha nyinaa, kɔ Asokwa kɔ hwe” to wit the riders have impregnated the girls in the area, check Asokwa.
Although some of the parents were not in support of the amorous relationship between the young girls and the riders, others said the riders had rather sustained the education of the girls by giving them pocket money daily for school.
The Mirror found that these riders were able to give between GH¢7 and GH¢15 daily to their school going girlfriends.
A parent and resident of Adansi Tewobaabi, Madam Akosua Nyame, said some of the girls were able to go back to school after childbirth but others were unable to .
Despite the complaints, she said some of the riders were unwilling to let the girls grow as they continued to pursue them right from the basic school through to junior high school.
The Nsafoahene of Adansi Bodwesango, Papa Nigeria, said it was important for parents to be interested in the whereabouts of their daughters and ensure that some basic things they needed like sanitary towels were catered for.
He was of the view that, “ parents could only offer words of caution and constant advice to their daughters to encourage them to focus on their education.”
A noodles seller at Adansi Asokwa, Maame Bruwaa, said some of the riders bought noodles from her joint for their girlfriends and noted that some of the girls had transformed so much because they were now able to afford bleaching creams and a few new clothes.
‘Pragya’ station
At the ‘Pragya’ station at the Asokwa Junction, this reporter observed that most of the riders had neatly lined up their tricycles, and argued a lot over social issues as they looked out for passengers.
While some were cleaning their tricycles, others were seated in groups chatting.
Spotted behind the wheel was 19 -year- old Yaw Panin who had been in the business for two years. He told The Mirror that he learnt how to ride in Accra.
Asked whether he was part of those impregnating the young girls, he denied but said he was aware of the situation.
He said though the ‘pragya’ business had brought financial relief to him and his colleagues, the issue of teenage pregnancy was the effect of the relief, “ some of the riders are not thinking about their future, their mind is centred on now.”
On a good day, Panin said he made about GH¢250 . He gave the owner of the pragya Gh¢50 as daily sales , used GH¢120gh for fuel and servicing and the remaining GH¢80 was his.
Young girls
Some young girls who spoke to this reporter said the riders insulted them a lot whenever they refused their romantic proposal.
Thirteen year-old- Maame Rita said, “ one of them tells me I am beautiful each time he sees me. But when I refused his proposal ,he insulted me that I was very ugly with thin long legs. And they like to insult you in public.”
One rider, three babies
In an interaction with a medical doctor , Dr Yaw Obeng, at the Benito Menni Hospital at Adansi Dompoase, he confirmed the situation and narrated an incident at the hospital in September last year during which three young girls, all of the same age, 13, visited the hospital to be delivered of their babies and it was discovered that they were all impregnated by one pragya rider.
Coincidentally, he said all three gave birth on the same day, saying “two of the teenagers gave birth in the morning and the other one put to bed in the evening. It was later in the afternoon when l interacted with the first two mothers that l got to know that they all shared the same young boy of about 17 years. I was so shocked that I wanted to see the guy.”
“ They called him on phone but he refused to pick so l took his number. When l called, he picked, so l told him to come and pick his wives and make the necessary payment. He told me he would but he didn’t. Apparently he did not pay attention to them even when they were pregnant. These things bring problems to parents and even affect the girls. I wish young girls will focus on their education and know that they don’t have to go through this ,” he said.
Source: Graphic Online
