Georgina Aberese-Ako, the Director for the Upper East Regional Department of Children has welcomed government’s decision to provide menstrual products for menstruating schoolgirls for free of charge.
Speaking in an interview on Breakfast News on Dreamz FM, Georgina said the move will enhance menstrual hygiene among schoolgirls and keep them in school.
“A lot of girls have to miss school just because they don’t have access to sanitary pad. And no girl should miss school or feel ashamed because of a natural biological process,” she stated.
“For government to take a major step to address period poverty by allocating 292.4 million to distribute free sanitary pads to these girls in primary and secondary school is good news.”
She observed that while some parents are unable to provide such products for their children, others, though capable, have refused to cater to this need, pushing their children to engage in transactional sex which consequences jeopardize their education.
She believes that while it is the responsibility of parents to cater to such needs, government’s intervention is necessary at this point to ensure those whose parents are unable or refused to make such provisions maintain hygiene and are kept in school.
Government announced in the 2025 Budget and Economic Policy the distribution of free sanitary pads to schoolgirls at the basic and high school level in fulfilment of the governing National Democratic Congress’s promise ahead of the 2024 elections.
Presenting the Budget in Parliament on March 11, 2025, Minister of Finance Cassiel Ato Forson said, “we have allocated GH¢292.4 million to commence the distribution of free sanitary pads to female students in primary and secondary schools”.
Georgina Aberese-Ako wants government to seek support to ensure sustainability of the initiative as well as take steps to prevent the diversion of the products.
“The package (of the Free sanitary pads) should be different from the others, so that when we see it on the market, we know that this is something that should not be purchased. And so people can report to the right authority.”
