Prostitution in Ghana

The growing trench of prostitution in Ghana is too alarming and when

checks or measures are not put in place it will eat into every part of

the society. The situation is so serious that kids’ gets involve in this

business to earn a living or make money. Some ladies see prostitution

as the easiest way to earn a living and to others its poverty. As you

know, poverty is a disease. I decide to carry my own independent

investigation on this, and have realized that, something serious needs

to be done. I decide to take a walk to a popular place in the capital

called Vienna city, around Kwame Nkrumah circle. Just closed to the spot

was a coconut seller, my refreshment when I’m in the capital. I first

decide to talk to the coconut seller. I told him, I am a stranger and

need a woman to just ‘’satisfy my soul’’, The first question he asked

me, Do you have money?. I said yes, then he said, if you want tens of

them you will get. I said how, he pointed some corner to me and said go

there, they are there!!. It’s your money that is going to talk for you.

Any type and colour, smalls, big, young and old just go there. You have

come early, this time the beautiful once are not out yet. So if you like

wait for some two to three hours time. It was seven o’clock I engage my

coconut seller friend in this conversation. I move ahead to a rice

seller to fill my stomach, as I was eating, I starts seeing the ladies

with their ‘’ Wicked dresses and make up’’ I guess you know what I’m

referring to. Some of their dresses are very difficult to get an

accurate word to describe, simple inhuman. Some of their makeup make

some of them look like tolls or strangers from Jupiter. What surprise

me, I saw police men around also busy doing whatever brought them there.

I first thought prostitution was legal that is why the police men are

busy minding their own business.

As an old village boy, I decide to

talk to one of them, my closed friends knows my preferred choice. First,

I was afraid because, I don’t know how to start, to my surprise, the

lady put her hands on my shoulders and said; talk now. You want short

time or sleep. I asked what is short time or sleep?. She said, do you

like to do it here or we should go to your place?. I inquired, doing it

here is short time and sending her to my place is sleep?, She said yes.

Then I decide to find out, how much I have to pay for the service. She

said, the short time, I have to pay GH 40 cedi to just score ‘’ One

goal’’. Then I asked what about sleeping at my place, she said, GH, 100

cedi. I said, I like the short time. Then she said fallow me. I was

taken to a nearby hotel, to my surprise an old lady with her ground

children are the receptionist at that said hotel. Immediately we just

walked in, she starts rolling a toilet roll and gave to me and said, GH,

10 cedi and pointing to one room. That means, I have to pay an

additional GH, 10 cedi making GH, 50. I took the lady into the room and

the bed in the room, No amount of words can describe the facilities in

it. I told the lady I can’t play very well in this pitch; I need a very

good pitch that will enable me score an excellent goal. The lady told me

even professionals play in this pitch not to be talking about you this

local player. Then I told her, we should go to my place. She ask where, I

said Gbewe, She said it’s too far for short time, I said ok, I will pay

for the sleep. She suggested to me that, she had her own accommodation

in one of the hotels around Kokomelemele. I said ok, she was complaining

of hunger and because I did not want her to bore with me, I gave her GH

20 cedi, and said she should take me to inspect her hotel

accommodation. She said, I’m coming and quickly run across the road to a

food seller. She returns with some pack of food and said lets go. We

picked a taxi to her hotel and her room was too small and I began

wondering wither those in authority to make sure those hotels are up to

standard are doing their work?. I told her, I don’t like her place and

since she refuse going to my place, I have to go. I left without scoring

the goal. To be honest, I was not having money.

The following day, I

decide to go and see the deputy minister for youth and sports, Hon

Joseph Yammin in his office to discuss one or two things with him. I put

on my black suit which was donated to me by a friend; Paul Justice to

look decent in the face of my Honorable man. As I got to his office, I

was told he just left. My legs were heavy and I decided to move around

the ministry area. As an old village boy, I wants to have some ‘’filla’’

when I’m back at my home town people will be able to gather round me

like Marco polo to listen to what I brought from the capital. As I sat

looking around and taking my coconut drink around the ministries area, A

lady pass in a very posh VW Tuareg car and the people around starts to

gossip.

I joined the conversation to my surprise, I was told, they

are a lot of ladies here who are doing the prostitution business with

the ‘’big men or well to do men in the ministries’’. They don’t work at

the ministries but move from one ministry to another just to attract the

attention of the ‘’ big men’’. They drove in the posh cars that those

serious business men who are working 24/7 or 12/360 could not afford to

have. Fingers were pointed to some ladies around the ministries, I

decided to try one of them, but to do that I have to gather confidence

to approach one to see, because they are not like those on the streets

of Vienna city. I mastered courage and gets closed to one of the V8

vehicles packed there waiting for the opportunity to talk to one of

them. Looking at my dress code, you could conclude I was one of the big

men around. Aha!!, here comes one of the ladies that was pointed to me

earlier. I called her we have a lengthy chat, I talk like one of the big

men in the ministries and I had a deal. She said, we should go and have

a lunch, I asked where? , she said a special place where she normal

eats. I said fine, She said she is coming, move small and return with

here posh BMW car, and said lets go. I said oh!, I thought we are going

to use my V8 car?. She said this ok. Anyway even a bicycle I don’t have.

To my surprise we were in a place where she told me that is her

bungalow, I said that’s great. In my previous conversation, I confirmed

the stories that were told to me earlier when I was enjoying my coconut.

Luck was on my side when she had visitors; I had a call and told her

some investors are waiting for me in the office. I told her these are

some of the reason why I wanted to used my car, she said sorry. I told

her, I will be living the country the following morning and will come

back at all cost today to see her before I left. I was to leave for my

home town, Tamale the following morning. I quickly rush out and pick a

taxi to Kwame Nkrumah circle. As I approach the Neoplan station, I saw

my primary school classmate, Abass. I asked the driver to drop me. I

went to him, for the past 25 years, we never set eyes on each. As I

looked at Abass face, I realized he was completely consumed by Alcohol

and the wisdom weed as Blakk Rasta chose to call it. We engage in

conversation, we recount our days in the primary school and other

stuffs. I asked Abass what work he is doing for a living?, He told me

he help carries a pastor microphones and speakers in and out for the

pastor to preach. The pastor will then give him his share of the money

after he finished his preaching. I told him I need to get a women to

‘’satisfy my soul’’, He said fellow me. We crossed the road; pass

through the markets around the Ghana Commercial Bank towers area. Move

ahead small; carve some corner into some wooden structures, the women

are there. To my surprise if you have just five cedi (GH 5), I mean five

cedi only!!!!!!, you will ‘’ Satisfy your soul’’.

I conclude my

research by touching with ladies with multiple partners. They involve in

prostitution in an indirect way, they don’t charge for a fee but expect

to get something from their partners any time they visits them. They

pay many visits to their boyfriends regular who gave them money or their

needs.

Finally, I end up with these findings; The Prostitutions are

in different forms, those on the streets, those on the rental hotels

rooms, those on rented houses, those on their own apartments and those

on door to door service. I think parents should be responsible and try

to know the kind of jobs or business their wards are doing or involved

in.

Government should do something about this canker before it’s

consumed our society or spoils the name of the country internationally.

Ibrahim Hardi 0208235615.