Agona Swedru: The Agona Swedru Traditional Council has officially declared its commitment to ending child marriage within the Agona Nyakrom area in the Central Region. They have issued a stern warning to those who perpetuate this illegal practice, which often leads to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), teenage pregnancies, and other harmful cultural practices that contribute to increased female school dropouts, health complications, and entrenched poverty among women and young girls. The Council plans to combat this issue through education, advocacy, legal, and other legitimate means, vowing to uphold their resolution until their objectives are achieved. According to Ghana News Agency, Okofo Okatakyi Nyarkoh Eku X, the Paramount Chief of the Agona Nyakrom Traditional area, stated, "We will ensure that any child who is below 18 years will not go into marriage, and anybody who would act contrary to undermine the resolution of the Council will be in serious trouble." This declaration was made during a dur bar at his seat in the Agona Nyakrom palace, which marked the conclusion of a two-day workshop organized by the Obaapa Development Foundation, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ghana. The event was part of national efforts to empower traditional and religious leaders, as well as the public, to end child marriages in Ghana. Okofo Nyarkoh Eku emphasized that the Council would not tolerate any parliamentary agreement or attempt to prevent them from fulfilling their customary mandate and rights as a traditional council. He highlighted the numerous dangers of child marriage and expressed the Council's commitment to collaborating with stakeholders, including school authorities, families, the police, the Ghana Education Service, and the Ghana Health Service, to address the issue urgently. The Paramount Chief criticized the practice of parents forcing their pregnant daughters to live with the men responsible for their pregnancies, reinforcing that such actions promote child marriages. Following the declaration, Madam Halima Saadia Yakubu, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, led the Council members in pledging to fight all harmful practices against children, especially girls, and to create a community where every child can reach their full potential. Dr. Wilfred Ochan, the Resident Representative of UNFPA, praised the Traditional Council for their decisive action to defend the rights of young people. He noted that child marriage remains a significant issue in Ghana, with the prevalence of marriage by age 15 stagnant at about five percent over the past decade without noticeable improvement. The workshop brought together over 40 participants, including Chiefs and Queen mothers from Swedru and Agona Nyakrom in the Agona West Municipal District, providing a platform for knowledge sharing and education on existing laws and sanctions against those who threaten children's rights. Experts educated the traditional leaders on the consequences of early and child marriage, as well as related issues such as SGBV, teenage pregnancy, and health complications.