Regional News of Sunday, 8 February 2004

Source: GNA

Law enforcing agencies urged to enforce law banning prostitution

Kumasi, February 8, GNA - The law enforcing agencies have been requested to enforce the law banning prostitution to prevent sexual promiscuity and the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.

This is because the reluctance of the authorities and law enforcing agencies to enforce the law had encouraged more women, especially teenage girls, to engage commercial sex.

Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, immediate past president of the Youth in Action, a coalition of youth groups, made the call at a forum organised by the Sweet Ladies Fun Club at Adum, in Kumasi on Saturday.

He warned that: " The strenuous efforts of the Ghana AIDS Commission, may come to nought and the gains already made may be eroded, if pragmatic measures are not adopted to curb prostitution".

Odeneho Appiah advised the police not to limit their operations to curb prostitutes at hotels and the roadsides, but to get to areas acquired permanently by prostitutes.

Speaking on this year's Valentine's Day, Odeneho Appiah, advised FM stations and organised groups against promoting products and messages that would enhance sexual promiscuity amongst people during the celebration.

He said instead, they should organise programmes that would help the people, especially the youth to improve upon their morals and nurture the virtues of humility and discipline.

Miss Margaret Osei, Secretary of the club, called on social clubs and associations to use the celebration to instil in their members the spirit of volunteerism and to design programmes that would help them to contribute to the development of their communities.