Etsii Aworado (C/R), Aug. 17, GNA - The youth have advised to desist from exposing themselves to the vagaries of city life in an effort to seek greener pastures especially when they do not possess marketable skills and are not assured of proper lodging.

Mr Jonathan Gyewu, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam (AEE) District HIV/AIDS Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Person who gave the advice said migrating into the cites without first thinking about accommodation could lead them, especially girls, into immoral practices.

He was addressing anti HIV/AIDS campaign durbar at Etsii Aworado in the Central Region organised by the Etsii Abaka, a Community Based Organisation (CBO) with funds provided by the Ghana AIDS Commission. Mr Gyewu, who is the District Social Welfare Officer called on the government to provide more funds for poverty reduction since "it is impossible to overcome the AIDS pandemic without putting in place measures to address poverty," adding that it had been established that poverty was the rallying force behind sexual promiscuity especially among women.

He called for the abolition of some cultural practices and beliefs which promote the spread of HIV/AIDS such as betrothing widows to relatives of their late husbands.

Mr Gyewu advised the people to form co-operative groups to enable them access loans to from financial institutions and donor agencies to promote their farming and other income generating ventures. He appealed to Ghanaians to change their sexual behaviour to help make the anti-AIDS campaign a success.

Mr Isaac Acquah, Chairman, Mr Seth Buabing, Secretary and Mr S.A. Pamford, Programme Co-ordinator all of the CBO, took turns to explain to the people the mode of transmission, prevention and management of the disease. The CBO has trained 11 peer educators to work in various communities in the district. 17 Aug. 03