Miss Ghana Fights Genital Mutilation

GHANA'S queen to the Miss Tourism World 2005 Esaa Acolaise has expressed concern at the continued inhuman act of genital mutilation imposed on women in her country.

Acolaise said despite massive campaigns to stop the act, people in rural areas had continued to mutilate women.

" Information on the dangers of genital mutilation is available in urban and not rural areas, that is why this inhuman act will continue to haunt women," said Acolaise.

She said it was inhuman for anyone to take it upon themselves to infringe genital mutilation on somebody's body especially with the health risks involved.

"I do not see what any normal person would put someone through such pain, Iam involved in a program to make sure that women and all the girls that are growing up do not have to endure such trauma and pain," she said.

The 20 year old beauty studying Economics and mathematics at Ghana University said her role was not only to promote tourism alone but also to ensure that her country was a safe place to live in.

Acolaise said women were the core of every country and that it was important that all women were protected against all ills.

The dark skinned beauty also said it was important for every model to get an education as modeling was not a life-time career to bank on.

" You can't be a model all your life, so many things can happen. One can be involved in a accident and may have their faces disfigured or break their legs and what happens then?".

She said despite her busy schedule she had managed to concentrate on her studies which she says she would never give up for any exciting modeling career.

"My first priority is my education which is my back up in case I don't make it into the modeling world and at the same time it is my guarantee for a better life," she said.

On her chances of winning the competition which has never been won by an African contestant, Acolaise said she had every hope of winning.

" Despite having the body, I have the intelligence which I think is what Miss Tourism is all about, my aim would be to sell Ghana internationally and expose the many tourist attractions that exist in my country," she said.

She said apart from the peaceful atmosphere enjoyed by Ghana, the country had many attractions that were yet to be discovered.

"Ghana is a peaceful country with no wars or any conflicts. And the beauty about it is that we have so many tourist attractions that few people know about like crocodile farms and water falls," said Acolaise.

With such intelligence, beauty and confidence, win or lose this beauty will definitely make a mark on Africa and the rest of the world.