Regional News of Monday, 6 December 2004

Source: GNA

Immoral acts marring annual Apoo festival at Nkoranza

Nkoranza (B/A), Dec. 6, GNA - Mr Joe Amponsah, Founder and Project Coordinator of Hope Association, an Nkoranza-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), has expressed dissatisfaction about the immoral practices being associated with the celebration of the annual 'Apoo festival by some revellers.

He said the practice was encouraging the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus, and called for concerted efforts to curb the anti-social practice.

Mr Amponsah whose NGO is taking care of about 25 People Living with AIDS, was speaking at a three-day sensitisation workshop on HIV/AIDS, organised by the Nkoranza District Health Management Team for nine HIV/AIDS volunteers drawn from Sessiman, a suburb of Nkoranza. He called on the volunteers to embark on house-to-house educational campaign to sensitise the people about the menace.

Mr. Solomon Obeng-Danquah, Nkoranza District HIV/AIDS Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Person, called for collaborative efforts to halt the spread of the virus, which he said was at the doorsteps of everyone.