90,000 Prostitutes operate in Ondo, says NGO

A  Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Multiview Advocacy Network (MANET), yesterday revealed a  report on the number of sex workers operating in  Ondo  state saying  there are about 90,000 prostitutes spreading across  some100 communities of the Sunshine State.

The Coordinator of MANET, Mrs. Jewel Bolade, who revealed the figure while submitting the report of its research into sex work supply in the state at a one day seminar said the development was worrisome and dangerous especially when three percent out of the entire 3.4m residents in the state are prostitutes.

The figure, Bolade said, excludes  sales girls in the beer parlour and joints as well as street girls and those that are being used to entertain guests during events.

“As our research has shown using Akure, Owo and Okitipupa as case studies, there are at least, 100 sex workers in every community in the state.

“There are over 900 communities in the state. A rough estimated number of sex workers exceeds 90, 000 in Ondo State, excluding street girls and beer parlour waitress who are not fully committed to the trade”.

She  said 80 percent of the sex workers and their customers were non indigenes of the state stating that they came mostly from Edo, Delta, Benue and Akwa Ibom states.According to Bolade,  the growth of the business was due to the alarming increase in the numbers of brothels, hotels and bar joints in the recent time.

 She said 45 per cent of the sex workers interviewed in Owo Local Government area were once engaged, married but later disengaged, divorced or separated thus making them becoming helpless.Speaking on the occasion, the retired Bishop of Akure (Anglican Communion), Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, described as alarming the figures released by the group.

He also raised the alarm over the rate of corruption in the handling of funds for control of HIV/AIDS by government agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations  in the country.

The clergyman regretted that many people were suffering and dying on daily basis because of the impact of HIV/AIDS in the society, urging churches and Christians to support MANET in its quest to assist those affected by the scourge