University Community Is Not Immune Against HIV/AIDS

The launching for the impending HIV/AIDS Ambassadors Nite, also dubbed the Miss U.C.C'04 ,WHICH IS THE MOST EXHILARATING AND CROWD-PULLING EVENT ON U.C.C campus was held at the sasakawa conference center,in the university of cape coast on 21st february 2004.At the even was school leaders, hall representatives, the general public as well as a cross-section of the media.

In his opening adress Mr. Victor Paa Kwesi Mensah the U.C. NUGS president stated that, Sexual indiscipline is a prominent factor when issues of indiscipline arise and culminates into that deadly disease thathas exterminated and still wiping out greater portion of our race.He said it is therefore worthy to reckon, that sexual discipline ,especially within the youth is a trump card in combating the virus.He cont inued to say that in their bid to support the campaign to quell HIV/AIDS,the local office of the National Union of Ghana Students(NUGS) of the university of cape coast is pround to stage its second in series of the pageant dubbed "Miss U.C.C 2004", THE hiv/aids Ambassadors Nite, under the theme,"SEXUAL DISCIPLINE ,THE CONDUIT FOR HIV/AIDS PREVENTIONS SUCCESS".U.C.C NUGS,the organizers of the programme also called out for sponsorship from the various companies and well meaning Ghanaians.

Mr. Paa Kwesi Mensah added that, the HIV/AIDS ambassadors Night? aims at not just parading beauty but beauty with a cause. The motive behind this pageant is to disseminate the word of practicing sexual discipline to combat the upsurge of HIV/AIDS. The pageant will be aimed at training 30 peer-educators to take up the mantle of spreading the message of HIV/AIDS prevention especially among the youth. We will therefore give relevance and meaning to the pageant by getting our prospective queen actively involved in preaching sexual discipline in our institution and others, as well as to create the ?HIV Victim Fund?, where reputable companies and individuals will contribute to provide financial and material support to victims of HIV/AIDS. The Ambassador strongly supported by the other entire Peer-educators will work hand in hand to achieve this noble aim.

When it got to his turn, the Coordinating Secretary of NUGS U.C.C, Mr. Ernest Asiedu Sakyi stressed that the programme will be aimed at identifying and training a number of Peer-Educators to take up the mantle of spreading the message of preventing HIV/AIDS especially among the youth. He said this will be done stressing on the need to ABSTAIN from sex, followed by the ?B?, C?, D- DISCIPLINE, which is our major focus. He continued to say that Funds generated will go a long way to help provide financial and other material support to HIV/AIDS Victims identified by the ambassadors .The programme will also be geared at raising funds to produce HIV/AIDS brochures on the impact of HIV/AIDS on the economy and HIV/AIDS stickers and posters on the theme.

Mr. Ernest Asiedu Sakyi stated that one of the major aims for organizing the programme is to educate the over 12,000 students population that the university community is not immune against the deadly disease and we are all equally at risk. He hinted that students in the institution claim to have an in-depth knowledge about the subject of HIV/AIDS and is now becoming a nuisance, but he never ruled out the possibility of the percentage of HIV infection within the student populace. On the logo for the event Mr. Asiedu explained that the crown symbolizes the responsibilities of the queen during her reign, with her staff giving her the authority to go about her duties and the signature of the World AIDS Commission is also embossed on the logo

The pageant comes off on the 20th of March, at the Center for National Culture and targeted artistes to perform in the night are VIP, Sidney, 4x4,Obrafour, slim buster and a host of others.