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.
