Prostitutes in Kumasi and some part of Accra are reportedly now accepting buckets of maize and cups of beans as payment from their cash-strapped male clients.
Some of the sex workers who spoke to us, appealed to the government and other organisations for low-interest loans to start income-generating projects to fend for their starving families.
One of the sex workers who only identified herself as Alice, said;
“Gone are the days when we used to charge GHc500 to GHc1,000 for the whole night. These days even GHc100 is accepted, so that you are able to buy vegetables and tomatoes and cook something for your starving children.”
Alice disclosed that she has three children, one of which is in Form 2. The child needs registration fees while the other kids are in Class 3 to 5.
She added;
“I now even accept a bucket of maize or cups of dried beans as payment for s3x services. At least I am assured that my kids will have porridge.”
Another sex worker only identified as Mavis said she could have opted to be a house helper. She however said locals don’t pay.
The sex workers who spoke to the publication, were attending a Key Affected Populations (KAP) workshop meant to find ways of reducing HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The seminar was convened by the National Aids Council (NAC) at Growth Point.
