4 December 2008
Mrs. Agartha Mansa Siaw, Assembly Member for Adantia in the Sunyani West District, has challenged politicians to identify remedies that would help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.
She asked politicians to play active and concerted roles in the fight against the disease.
Mrs. Siaw was speaking at a durbar jointly organized by the African Media Aid, African Assistance Plan and Glorious Victory Ministries, all non-governmental organisations (NGOs), at Adantia to mark the celebration of this year's World AIDS Day.
She said Ghana was losing a significant per cent of her working force to HIV/AIDS but little attention and support was being given to curbing the disease.
Mrs. Siaw expressed worry about the upsurge of sexual promiscuity among the youth in the district and urged chiefs to support the promotion of the use of condom.
She also called on the assembly to enact bye-laws to ban pupils and students from attending video shows, concerts, funerals and other social events.
Nana Kwame Apraku II, Chief of Adantia, called for the reinforcement of cultural practices such as puberty rites to control illicit sexual practices among the youth.
He appealed to parents to provide their children, especially the girls with their basic necessities.
Mr. Godlove Rapheal Ahenu, Chief Executive Officer of African Media Aid, said government spent huge sums of money annually on the control of HIV/AIDS and urged the people to complement government's efforts by abstaining from illicit sex.
He advised the public to desist from stigmatizing People Living with HIV/AIDS.
Mr. Ahenu said the NGO would initiate a programme to help control drug abuse, spread of HIV/AIDS and illegal abortion among the youth in the area.
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