The new Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Social Services Development Secretariat, Dr. Blessing Onyeche Onuh, has disclosed that about 40,000 registered commercial sex workers are now operating in different parts of the FCT.
The 40,000 figure according to Dr. Onuh, represented commercial sex workers, who are living in various brothels and joints within the city and those who are operating from their houses as well as others who came to Abuja from the neighbouring towns.
During her maiden Town Hall media chat in Abuja with FCT reporters over the weekend, the secretary also disclosed that even the number of unregistered commercial sex workers in Abuja was mind boggling, and a source of worry to the current FCT administration.
Onuh said she was able to know the figures during her interactions with the chairlady, Association of Abuja Commercial Sex Workers, whom, she said, had agreed to cooperate with the secretariat in rehabilitating their members.
She stated that her office had designed programmes to train the commercial sex workers in Abuja in various trades like hairdressing, weaving, sewing, knitting and catering, among others, while appealing to non governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country, to come to the assistance of FCT administration in its efforts to remove commercial sex workers from the streets.
Speaking earlier, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed stated that his administration would soon come up with a framework to ensure that common man in Abuja has good accommodation in the FCT.
Mohammed chided the actions of some Abuja landlords, who had turned themselves into shylocks by demanding up to two years rent, which he observed, was beyond the reach of the ordinary workers.
The minister promised that the FCT area councils land allocation suspended in 2004 would soon be revisited to allow genuine developers contribute positively to the growth and development of the 8,000 square kilometres of the territory...
Welcoming guests to the event, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Goke Adegoroye, explained that the Abuja Town Hall meeting was meant to bring government closer to the people as well as to encourage citizen participation in the delivery of policies and services.
The Town Hall meeting was attended by the members of the FCT executive committee, members of the FCT operational departments, FCT security council members, directors, top FCT officials, concessionaires of FCT utilities like solid waste, street lights, transportation, major contractors handling people-oriented projects in Abuja; civil society organizations, traditional/religious leaders, NGOs, traders as well as market women.
