The expensive price of condoms and pads in Ghana is causing an increase in adolescent pregnancies and school dropout rates, according to Ghanaian actor Kwaku Manu.
Some of his pupils, he claims, have dropped out of school because they are unable to afford condoms, which they should use for healthy sexual practices to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
Kwaku Manu claims that if the government could have subsidised the cost of sanitary napkins and condoms, fewer students would have dropped out of school.
“I would plead with the leaders of this nation, I have never talked about this issue before. One of the things that will help us to progress as a country is condoms but it is something people feel shy to buy. The second thing is a pad, the one women use when they menstruate. It is very essential but today pads and condoms are more expensive than banku that we eat.
“Someone dropped out of school because she mistakenly got pregnant. Meanwhile, if condoms cost even GH¢2 the person could have bought them for protection. Now pad costs almost GH¢20, how can a poor schoolgirl or an orphan afford this? So I am pleading with the leaders to do something about this, it’s very difficult, and I know they have money,” Kwaku Manu said in a video shared on his Instagram page.
