Koforidua, Oct. 7, GNA- The Minister of Tourism and Modernization of the Capital City, Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has appealed to members of the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA), to stop illicit sex between adults and teenagers in hotels.

He said it was a crime for adults to engage in sexual intercourse with children, with or without their consent.

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey made the appeal in a speech read on his behalf, at the launch of "Hotels Action Against AIDS" by the GHA in Koforidua on Wednesday.

He said the objective of the Tourism Ministry, was to promote responsible and sustainable tourism and "not tourism that leads people to destruction."

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey said Ghana abhorred sex tourism, adding, "To encourage sex tourism is to encourage the spread of HIV/AIDS".

He called on hoteliers to launch a crusade against immoral practices, which were likely to promote the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Professor Sakyi Awuku Amoa called on hoteliers to provide condoms in their hotel rooms, noting that such practice had contributed a lot towards the reduction of HIV prevalence rates in Uganda and Senegal. He urged them to provide educational materials on HIV/AIDS prevention.

Prof. Amoa observed that, although the level of awareness about the pandemic was high, it had not led to the desired behavioural change. The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah, expressed concern about the spread of HIV/AIDS by commercial sex workers operating in hotels and other hospitality facilities.

He, challenged the GHA to come out with results- oriented strategies that would protect their clients from getting infected. The National President of the GHA, Nana Adjei Twinin suggested the need for all hotels to be equipped with condom vend machines.