The Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has donated about 4,000 sanitary pads to schools in the Upper West Region under the Free Sanitary Pad Initiative.
She said the government will sustain efforts to tackle period poverty and keep girls in school.
The programme supports girls from Primary Five to Senior High School and aims to reduce absenteeism during menstruation.
Speaking at the presentation of the Sanitary Pads on Friday, April 24, the Vice President stressed that girls’ bodies should be an asset, not an obstacle, to their education.
“What we thought was that the girls were missing school, not because they didn’t want to come to school. Not because there was a problem, but their natural bodies were behaving the way they were expected.
“Some of us didn’t think that was a good reason for the girls not to come to school. We thank God for the way he has created our bodies, what we need to do as human beings is to ensure they become assets and not obstacles,” she said.
She also urged the students to make good use of the investments being made in their education.
“I want to encourage the girls, do the best you can. You know you are capable. That is why your parents have spent their time, money, and have placed dreams in you. I know you will ensure that all these are satisfied,” she advised.
