Over 30 teenage pregnancies have been recorded in MBE, a locality in the Adamawa region.

The new wave of pregnancies of girls below 18, is said to be an off shoot of the recess on schools to roll-back the spread of Covid -19.

Some of these teenage mothers explained that the halt in school influenced their getting pregnant “During the lock down, I spent all my time with my boyfriend reasons I got pregnant” Safiatou a 17 years old said.

In other cases, the person who got them pregnant denied responsibility. Lydia a 16 years old is one amongst the girls “I got pregnant during the school lock down and my boyfriend denied it.”

As a result of getting pregnant without prior planning, some of these young girls missed out on their end of year public examination “I didn’t write the BEPC Because I was nauseated and was feeling weak.” Lydia said.

In a bid to encourage these young girls, the Rector of Univeristy of Ngaoundere Prof Uphie Tchinje Melo gave an educative talk to the girls while donating Baby bathtubs, napkins, towels and books to the expectant mothers and other teenage mothers to assist them have their babies and continue with their studies. “It’s sad to observe that in a place like Mbe where they’ve not registered any cases of Corona virus but they’ve had victims who have come up through other methods because during the confinement period, the girls found themselves free, they were not going to school. Out of that the number of pregnancies increased. Knowing the importance of education, I felt I should come and have a discussion with them, to advice them that a child is good, it comes from God but there is a time to have a child. Even with that difficulty, they must continue with their education.”

By Rekiatu Jingi