UG Debate Team Wins ‘The Big Debate’ at the UNFPA Family Planning Summit
The reigning champions of the 7th Ghana Universities Debate Championship, the University of Ghana Debate Society has been crowned champions of the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) 'The Big Debate.' The programme, held at the R.S. Amegashie Hall of the University of Ghana Business School, formed part of UNFPA’s Family Planning Week Youth Summit to commemorate the World International Contraception Day, which falls on the 26th day of September every year.
The University of Ghana Debate Team, represented by Miss Wesoamo Zempare, Mr. Henry Kofi Quansah and Mr. Joel Aboagye, squared off with students from the Ghana Institute of Journalism on the motion "Using family planning or contraceptives makes adolescents and youth promiscuous." Team UG speaking for the motion argued that young people can be educated on the existence of these contraceptives. However, they should not be allowed to use them at an adolescent age. Young people are very impressionable and this could lead to sexual addiction. Those who cannot afford these contraceptives and are sexually addicted will forego them and engage in unprotected sex, which could lead to unwanted pregnancy among teenagers, sexually transmitted diseases, dropping out of school, and streetism.
GIJ, speaking against the motion, focused on the importance of family planning and contraceptives. Their argument was strongly debunked by the UG team.
The panel of judges scored UG 106 points, while GIJ had 77 points. They remarked that the exercise was on the usage of contraceptives rather than its importance to adolescents.
UG was awarded a cash prize of Three Thousand Ghana Cedis for winning the debate.
The UNFPA’s Family Planning Week Youth Summit brought together young adults from senior high schools, universities, and the public to be educated about the benefits and procedures of family planning while creating a forum to disabuse young people of all the myths surrounding family planning, contraception, and other sexual reproductive health topics.
The UG Debate Team is currently in camp preparing for the 8th Ghana Universities Debate Championship to be hosted by UG from 10th to 17th October, 2022.