The Member of Parliament for Savelugu in the Northern Region, Hajia Fatahiya Abdul Aziz, has urged the government to ensure proper implementa­tion of the Free Sanitary Pads Initiative to avoid turning a promising policy into a disap­pointment.She said although the initia­tive, recently launched by Pres­ident John Dramani Mahama, is well-intentioned and aims to keep girls in school during their menstrual periods, poor planning, weak infrastructure, and funding gaps could threaten its effectiveness."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 to bitter disap­pointment," the MP said.Hajia Abdul Aziz, who is also the Deputy Ranking Mem­ber on Parliament's Gender, Children and Social Welfare Committee, noted that govern­ment has allocated GH¢292.4 million to serve two million girls, translating to about GH¢146 per student annually.However, with quality sanitary pads costing between GH¢15 and GH¢40 month­ly, Hajia Abdul Aziz said the budget reveals a significant shortfall that could affect the programme's sustainability.She pointed to disparities in access, stressing that girls in the five northern regions where poverty levels are highest remain underserved.She described the uneven rollout as unfair and called for the initiative to begin with pilot phases in those regions before any national expansion.The Savelugu MP further cited a 2024 report by SEND Ghana which revealed that 63 per cent of basic schools lack adequate toilet and hygiene facilities.According to her, without proper WASH (Water, Sanita­tion and Hygiene) infrastruc­ture, distributing sanitary pads could expose girls to embarrass­ment and health risks instead of empowering them.To make the initiative sustainable, she recommended supporting local production of sanitary pads by reviving the cotton industry and establishing manufacturing hubs in areas like Tumu and Tamale.Other suggestions she made include offering tax exemptions on sanitary products, dedicating one percent of VAT revenue to menstrual health, and using block chain technology to ensure transparency in procure­ment and distribution.She reiterated the need for a detailed implementation plan and urged civil society, tradi­tional leaders, and local assem­blies to play active roles in the initiative's success. BY RAISSA SAMBOU