He described the practice as outmoded customs which required collective responsibility to tackle head on.

H.E Ron Strikker was addressing a durbar of chiefs at the forecourt of the Sagnarigu chief’s palace where beneficiaries of the Girls Advocacy Alliance project presented their concerns for immediate redress.

The event was organized by female child rights advocacy Non Governmental Organization Songtaba, in partnership with Plan International Ghana.

Commenting on the barriers to girl child education, the Netherlands Ambassador underscored the need to discard cultural practices that inhibit girl child education.

“Ghana’s economic and political modernization is dependent on the successful education of both sexes.”

He admonished law enforcement agencies to crack the whip on people who violate the rights of children.

He commended Songtaba and its allies for their determination to combat forced marriages, premature pregnancies, and all forms of human rights violations associated with the girl child.

Beneficiaries of the Girls Alliance Advocacy project in a communique christened, “Barriers to girl child education” called for an end to forced marriages particularly elopement.

They revealed that starvation and inaccessibility to sanitary pads contributed to the decline of girl child education in the Northern Region.

They implored traditional rulers to join forces with Songtaba and its allies and the law enforcement agencies to deal with people who violate their human rights.

They also appealed to government to support girl child education.

The Sagnarigu District Chief Executive, Iddrisu Mariam, thanked the chief of the area for releasing seven acres of land for the construction of a girls school there.

She called for support from the Netherlands government to accomplish the task. She said girl child education should be the responsibility of all well meaning citizens.

Songtaba’s Executive Director, Hajia Lamnatu Adam, Plan Ghana International Girls Advocacy Alliance project Manager, Ana Ababere, the Northern Regional Director of Ghana Education Service, Alhaji Mohammed Haroun Cambodia and a representative of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) addressed the gathering.

Their messages touched on the need to collectively tackle forced marriages and premature pregnancies that retard girl child education.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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It described as “worthless” an appeal by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn.

The row erupted after the Dutch barred Turkish ministers from campaigning among expatriates for a referendum.

The referendum would controversially boost the Turkish president’s powers.

In response to the Dutch move, Turkey barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Ankara and suspended high-level political talks, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Dutch of using Nazi tactics.

The Dutch government cited “risks to public order and security” as reasons for blocking the Turkish rallies.

Voters in the Netherlands go to the polls on Wednesday for a general election dominated by concerns about immigration and Islamic radicalism.

Relations between the EU and Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country regarded as crucial to tackling Europe’s migrant crisis, have long been strained.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said it was “grave” of the EU to stand by the Netherlands.

On Monday, Ms Mogherini and Mr Hahn had called on Turkey to “refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation”.

However, responding to the diplomatic sanctions announced by Turkey, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said they were “not too bad”.

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Source: BBC

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