Legalize Prostitution - Rejoinder

Dear Editor, I was reading with profound interest, the editorial of today of the Gye Nyame Concord on the above topic at Ghanaweb this morning, and I wish to comment a little bit on this issue. Firstly, I must firmly say that I side with the editor in coming out categorically to speak against this so-called "Legalization" issue.

Secondly, that such a proclamation is coming from a renowned Ghanaian Professor and chairman of the Ghana AIDS commission doesn’t make it gospel wisdom. What makes it even sad is that his assertion was made with reference to a British Professor.

Sir, it's a common phenomenon to find most African politicians, policy makers and for that matter leaders copying blindly Western traditions and values, knowledge and information in reasoning without really analyzing it to suit our context.

Western lifestyles, which he talks of here, with emphasis on “red light districts” in curbing HIV in Europe, are akin to the biblical Sodom and Gomorra, which most Europeans themselves abhor. Walk through the streets of Amsterdam, Hamburg and Munich and you'll marvel, but this is a lifestyle left to the lower downtrodden elements of their societies. And who said these prostitutes don't even have HIV?

Many well-educated Europeans are stiff-scared about HIV in their own backyard than in Africa where virtues are a common finding.

The lower rates of HIV are basically due: 1. Good circular education that leaves the individual head-up and able to make good decisions and choices about life and lifestyles. Talk to a sixteen year old European about smoking and sex and see how she/ he would preach you on these.

2. Good educational policies on the issue of HIV/AIDS; good and effective methods and not merely leaving it in the hands of even uneducated folks, as we see in Africa, who parade under the pretext of NGOs calling themselves HIV/AIDS Advocates.

3. Policy makers and leaders tasked with this responsibility are committed, feel a sense of duty, a sense of responsibility to work not only for their monies but also with the interest of the whole white race and future generations at heart, unlike what we see back home where these commissioners and NGOS are only interested in forming many committees and going for unnecessary marathon meetings and awarding themselves fat sitting allowances.

4. The other fact is that these Europeans and Americans actually under-declare their statistics! And you see, with HIV now considered as a developmental index, they seek not only to suppress black Africans but also to make the future hopeless for us. It’s only when you have no hope that you tend to be overly reliant on them for them to perpetuate their supremacy. The way forward for Ghana and for Africa is to take pragmatic steps to improve first and foremost our educational systems and it’s content, improve HIV/AIDS campaigns around the continent, and leave it in the hands of committed individuals.

Our leaders need to have a little bit of commitment, a sense of responsibility and patriotism to the continent and to the black race as whole. It’s only in this way that we could make strides in every sphere of development.

For it will even be better for us if we properly “Illegalized” prostitution and all forms of behaviors that put the lives of the people at risk, and properly put measures that’ll stem these to the fullest instead of legalization.