For him, the move was critical for the sustenance of programmes and projects initiated by either donor partners or government itself.

Mr Diallo made these remarks on Thursday at an inception meeting on HIV Prevention and Reproductive Health Education Project at Amasaman in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

With funds from UNESCO and its implementing agency, the International Child Development Programme (ICDP), a non-profit organisation, the project is scheduled to last for 12 months, beginning January to December this year.

The meeting brought together stakeholders in the municipality, including the  Municipal Co-ordinating Director, Municipal Health Director, the Municipal Education Service, local traditional council and Christian and Muslim representatives, Assembly members and others.

Addressing the participants,the Municipal Coordinating Director, Rachel Fosua Sarpong,in a speech read on her behalf stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had taken the centre stage of all health issues, including HIV and reproductive health.

That she said had led to a reduction in addressing the spread of HIV in the country, causing an increase in the number of persons infected over the past years after the COVID-19 surge.

She said the inception of the programme was timely at the municipality as it would encourage child advocacy and equip the youth in the Junior and Senior High School levels within targeted community.

She, therefore, showed appreciation to UNESCO and ICDP for their support and pledged to help the project attain its expected results.

The Municipal Director of Education at the municipality, Rev. Peter Bilson, said teenage pregnancy and HIV in the municipality was on the increase.

That, for him was so because most children who accessed educational services within the municipality were either fending for themselves or were staying with others, making it a bit difficult to guide them.

“Girl child unit has had its fair share of sexual harassment and sexual abuse issues. Sometimes, by parents, resulting in pregnancies.

“Our guidance and counselling department had recently encountered child prostitute issues in the schools to content with,” he stated and called for proper coordinated system to support those children.

The Municipal Director of Health in a speech read on her behalf by Ms Nonora Botchway, said teenage pregnancy and HIV in the municipality was on the increase.

He said the project was timely since it would help the GHS to educate the public on HIV in the area despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nana Adjoa Afriyie Bonsu, the Project Coordinator for ICDP  said the main objective of the project was, “to support the government in achieving the SDG4 through its Education Strategic Plan/ESP- (2018-2030) Basic Education Policy Objective (B.E) 2.3”.

She highlighted the formation of peer educators group, formation and training of youth clubs, radio discussions, community durbars as some of the measures to help implement the project in Sapeiman and Sampaman communities, adding that the project did not seek to complete eradication of the spread of HIV in the municipality within the set duration but to help minimise it.