The Member of Parliament (MP) for Savelugu in the Northern Region, Hajia Fatahiya Abdul Aziz, has raised concerns about the recently launched Free Sanitary Pads initiative by President John Dramani Mahama, aimed at keeping the girl-child in school.
According to her, the intention behind the initiative is commendable, but she cautioned that without careful implementation, the policy may lead to what she described as “bitter disappointment.”
“The intentions behind this policy are noble. No girl should be forced to miss school or resort to rags, leaves, or bits of mattress foam during her period. But good intentions, without careful execution, often pave the way for bitter disappointment. Unless urgent corrections are made, this initiative risks becoming a national symbol of mismanagement, lost opportunity, and broken promises,” she said.
The Savelugu lawmaker, who is also the Deputy Ranking Member on the Gender, Children, and Social Welfare Committee of Parliament, issued the caution in an article she wrote on the subject.
She proposed a targeted approach to the initiative, starting with the five regions in northern Ghana, which are mostly deprived and poverty-stricken, while providing improved sanitation facilities in schools across the country to help achieve the objectives of the initiative.
The MP noted that while the unveiling marks a significant policy shift and positions Ghana among countries prioritizing menstrual equity, the program faces serious scrutiny over its planning, execution, and sustainability.
Speaking from the dual perspective of a woman, mother, and lawmaker, Hajia Fatahiya Abdul Aziz expressed not celebration but anxiety.
“My heart should be brimming with pride,” she noted. “Instead, it aches with worry,” the she added.
The MP said her concerns are rooted in the poor planning and misaligned priorities of the government regarding the initiative.
The government has budgeted GH¢292.4 million to serve two million girls, roughly GH¢146 per student annually. However, with quality sanitary pads costing GH¢15 to GH¢40 per month, simple calculations reveal a troubling funding gap.
“Is this a genuine intervention,” she questioned, “or a political gimmick dressed in the cloth of compassion?”
Another concern of the legislator is geographic inequity, stating that girls in Ghana’s five northern regions, where poverty levels are highest, remain underserved.
This uneven rollout, she said, raises doubts about the program’s commitment to equity and inclusion. She observed that girls in rural districts like Zebilla and Bunkpurugu continue to wait for their turn.
The MP also highlighted infrastructure challenges in schools as a major barrier to the initiative. According to a 2024 report by SEND Ghana, 63% of basic schools lack access to adequate toilet and hygiene facilities. Without proper water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, merely handing out pads can be counterproductive, exposing girls to embarrassment and risk rather than delivering empowerment.
Additional concerns raised by the MP include delayed supply deliveries, substandard product quality, corruption in procurement and distribution, a model that promotes dependency rather than long-term resilience, and the lack of a sustainable financing framework for the project.
Way Forward
Hajia Abdul Aziz urged the government to prioritize local production by reviving the cotton industry and establishing pad manufacturing hubs in regions like Tumu and Tamale, offering tax exemptions on sanitary products, and targeting the most vulnerable girls through data-backed strategies.
Other recommendations include improving school infrastructure and investing in gender-friendly toilets with water and disposal facilities by 2026 to avoid rendering the sanitary pad initiative a hollow gesture.
She further proposed dedicating 1% of VAT revenue to menstrual health, using blockchain technology to ensure transparency in procurement and distribution, and publishing real-time performance reports to foster public trust.
The Savelugu MP appealed to President John Mahama to ensure a detailed, costed implementation plan with pilot phases of the project launched in the northern regions before any national rollout.
She also emphasized the need for civil society, traditional leaders, and local assemblies to participate as active collaborators in the process.
Hajia Abdul Aziz encouraged all Ghanaians to demand accountability, support local manufacturing, and confront the stigma surrounding menstruation.
“This initiative is bold, visionary, and filled with hope,” she concluded. “But hope alone is not enough. Our girls deserve more than promises—they deserve dignity. Not just pads, but protection. Not just applause, but action,” she said.
GA
Meanwhile, watch GhanaWeb’s tour of Odweanoma Paragliding Field below: