Some foreign commercial sex workers have taken over the Joma Market in the Ga Central Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
The hookers, aged between 15 and 30, operate in small wooden structures erected within the market, hailed from neighbouring countries like Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, Cote d’lvoire and Benin.
Nii Aryee Armah Okropong, the Akwashongtse of Joma, told journalists that the prostitutes brought their clients to the temporary structures in the market during day and night, thereby causing nuisance and discomfort to traders and patrons.
The traditional ruler said he delegated some elders to talk to the hookers to stop their illegal business at the market, but the pimps and their bodyguards chased them away with dangerous weapons.
“The brain behind the construction of the Joma Market, near Ablekuma is being defeated because the prostitutes have now taken over the place with their sex business,” the chief lamented.
The chief said the residents of the area had now stopped patronising the market and would rather travel to Awoshie and Lapaz markets to purchase basic food items.
The visibly worried traditional ruler also alleged that the hookers had been attacking and robbing residents of their monies and other valuable items during the night.
The chief described the situation as very worrying and appealed to the Inspector-General of Police and the Minister of the Interior to conduct a swoop to arrest the prostitutes.
“We’re making efforts to develop Joma and so we don’t want anybody or group of people to thwart our efforts,” Nii Aryee Armah Okropong said.