Some prostitutes from a brothel at Kotokoli Zongo in the Suhum municipality have chased away Eastern Regional tourism Authority officers who tried to gain access to their brothel.
The officers who had gone to the abode of the women to ascertain whether they were using the structure as a brothel, had to terminate their move as they were chased out of the place by the sex workers.
According to sources, the brothel operates 24 hours daily with the majority of their patrons being male Senior High School students who skip classes and pay at least GHS5 to have their time with the sex workers.
Reports indicate that the sex workers, numbering six, on realizing the intentions of the Tourism officers to close their brothel down began hurling insults at them and chased them out into the streets. One of them is said to have followed the officers from the brothel to the main Suhum-Koforidua road shouting, "It's my private parts, not yours. I have a right to my body. What is your problem if I choose to be a prostitute".
Meanwhile, the matter has been referred to the Eastern Regional Security Council. The Eastern Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Frederick Adjei Rudolph revealed this in an interview with Citi News.
“The hostility that we were greeted with at the place did not even allow us to carry out our business. They revealed and confirmed they engage in prostitution which is illegal in this country, the place is a makeshift structure which makes it difficult for us to shut down because they are not operating as a hotel but rather they rented it from a landlord.
“I have written a formal letter to the Eastern Regional Minister Eric Kwakye Darfour who is the head of REGSEC. The Eastern Regional Police Commander has also been served with a letter, same as the Municipal Chief Executive of Suhum. Now we will heavily rely on the police in the region to take the necessary steps and take immediate action to cause their arrest for operating illegally and in prostitution,†Mr Rudolph said.
In Ghana, it is unlawful to operate a brothel or engage in prostitution.