Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah has sent a stern warning to men particularly those in the region who have the habit of patronizing the services of commercial sex otherwise known as Ashawos to desist from it henceforth.

“Men who pick women on streets to their homes be careful of such practices. These whores are criminals and they give leads for criminals to rob you”, the Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) warned.

According to Regional Minister, many crimes in the Kumasi Metropolis such as robbery and kidnapping are aided by foreigners illegally residing in the country.

“Our Intel has that a lot of these criminals are in the country as whores with collaboration with some Ghanaians to commit heinous crimes such as kidnapping”, the Minister revealed in an interview MyNewsGh.com monitored.

According to the REGSEC Chairman, security agencies in the country will soon conduct a swoop at hideouts of these criminals to ensure residents have their peace from activities of the unscrupulous people.

“Every three months, we have decided as security to conduct swoops in some areas where these whores are because in Ghana, it is illegal to do commercial sex business”, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah told host Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin.

Under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) section 274, any person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution; or is proved to have, for the purposes of gain, exercised control, direction or influence over the movements of a prostitute in such manner as to aid, abet or compel the prostitution with any person or generally, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.