Pokuase Sex Workers Declare 5-Year Ban on Police Services Amidst Alleged Harassment

ACCRA – July 19, 2025 – A group identifying themselves as the "Pokuase Union of Prostitutes" has issued an extraordinary "press release" declaring a five-year cessation of services to police officers in Ghana. The bold declaration, signed by a "Fresh Girl Baby Jet" as President, cites alleged unfair treatment and "Rambo style" raids by the police as the reason for their unprecedented boycott.

The handwritten statement, circulating informally, claims that police officers have failed to accord them "any preferential and segregated treatment," despite allegedly being patrons of their profession. It explicitly states, "We are undertaking this position to starve police officers who are always in bed with us to learn their lessons not to raid us in a Rambo style again." The group also urged "other prostitutes groups to desist from offering their 'tokro abodwese' to any police officer."

While prostitution remains illegal in Ghana, Pokuase, a suburb of Accra, has long been a known hub for sex work. Reports from as far back as May 2021 detail police operations and demolitions targeting alleged brothels in the area, corroborating the "Union's" claims of raids. This suggests the grievances expressed in the letter are rooted in a history of tension between sex workers and law enforcement.

The "Pokuase Union of Prostitutes" is not a formally recognized or registered entity, given the legal status of their profession. Therefore, this "ban" serves more as a desperate public outcry and a form of protest from a marginalized community against perceived harassment and exploitation, rather than a legally enforceable directive.

Efforts to reach representatives of the Ghana Police Service for comment on these allegations have been unsuccessful as of the time of publication. The unusual declaration highlights the complex and often fraught relationship between sex workers and authorities in Ghana.