EXTRA: Bauchi will conduct headcount of sex workers, says hisbah

The Bauchi state government says it will conduct a headcount of sex workers in the state so as to have an accurate data on them.

According to NAN, Aminu Balarabe-Isah, permanent commissioner in charge of Hisbah and Sharia implementation, disclosed this in Bauchi on Monday during a sensitisation workshop organised for sex workers.

He said the information gathered from the count will help the commission in taking measures that will discourage sex workers from continuing their trade.

He said investigation carried out by his agency shows illiteracy, poverty, and maltreatment from step mothers made most sex workers take to the trade.

He added that minor family issues also contributed to their decision.

Balarabe-Isah assured the sex workers that the government will make effort to re-unite them with their parents.

He also said the state government had plans to organise empowerment programmes for the sex workers as well as provide them with capital to start small-scale businesses.

The commissioner said the state government was ready to organise mass marriages for those of them who wanted to get married.

Hafsatu Azare, who spoke on behalf of the sex workers, said they were willing to quit the trade if government would empower them economically, describing their condition as pathetic.