Residents decry increasing rate of prostitution in Asaba

Residents of Asaba, the Delta capital, have decried the increase in commercial sex activities in the city, in spite of the warning by health officials on the consequences of the vice.

The residents expressed their concerns about the high rate of the menace in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba on Sunday.

They advised the women involved in the act to have a change of heart considering the health, religious and other consequences of prostitution and called for appropriate measures to curb the trend.

One of the residents, Mr Nnamdi Nkenor, told NAN that commercial sex workers often lurked around Texas Plaza and Stephen Keshi Stadium, both located along the popular Nnebisi Road at night, looking for patronage.

Nkenor reminded the women, who he said were in their teens, and some not above 35 years, that they were prone to contracting and spreading HIV and AIDs and other sexually-transmitted diseases.

He said also that such women could easily fall victims of ritual killing that had become rampant in the society.

“Times are hard but these girls have forgotten the consequences of what they are indulging in. Apart from the health implications, some of them could be used for rituals.’’

He called on the appropriate authorities to check the menace as was done in 2014, advising that such measures should be sustained.

On his part, Mr Emmanuel Okpara, said that the sex workers were also found around Ibusa Road junction, Coker Junction, Jesus Saves Road and other strategic areas in the city.

“These women of easy virtues have thrown caution to the wind in spite of the sensitisation on the dreaded HIV and AIDS.

“Some of them can get missing and their colleagues will just think that they have simply relocated to other places.

“Prostitution is wrong; it is against Christianity and parents should bring up their children to be responsible members of the society,” Okpara said.

He also called on government to provide jobs for the youths, saying that the high rate of the vice and others was largely due to unemployment.