Some residents of New Nyanya in the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have attributed the high rate of teenage pregnancy to poor parental upbringing and neglect.

The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with journalists in New Nyanya on Tuesday, also attributed the problem to moral decadence among teenagers.

They also said that because of poverty, some parents also encourage their female children to engage in immoral acts to meet family needs.

A housewife, Victoria Simeon, said parents, especially some mothers, have failed in their responsibilities in training their female children.

According to her, it is obvious that mothers are closer to their children than their fathers, and they are supposed to guide and teach the child moral values.

Ms Simeon added that it had been proven that neglected children were  more likely to get pregnant.

She said, “It is, however, crucial that parental guidance is very important for children to prevent any form of abuse.”

She said that neglecting children could also result in emotional, sexual, and physical abuse of the child.

“Neglected children are likely to have the highest rate of teenage pregnancy, as well as being at the risk of dropping out of school,” she stated.

A civil servant, Ben Okorocha, said that one of the major reasons for pregnancy among teenagers was poverty, adding that it made most people do things without knowing the implications.

Mr Okorocha explained that poverty contributed massively, as some of the girl children were  exposed to hawking on the streets daily.

He stated, “Parents should be dedicated to their children, particularly their girl child, and show concern in their day-to-day activities. Moral decadence has become the order of the day; we are in a generation where morality is no longer given priority and parents are no longer concerned about how they bring up their children.”

He stressed that the kind of food that being consumed by children of this generation was a thing of concern because it makes them grow abnormally.

Also, a businessman, Elvis Onyibe, advised parents to be close to their children, adding that education without sound moral upbringing could be counterproductive.

“We need to know who they communicate with, what they eat, what they wear, even how they think.
All these are positive traces in child development; this can go a long way in shaping the development of a child and reducing crimes in society,’’ Mr Onyibe said.

According to him, it is necessary for parents to know what their children eat wear and how they go about it.

He said, “We also need to engage them regularly and build confidence, ask them questions, and know who their friends are.”

(NAN)