Subsidy Removal: Commercial Sex Workers Lament Low Patronage In Ogun

The economic crunch occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy has grossly affected commercial sex workers in Ogun State as they complained of low patronage from their customers.

They expressed their pains while fielding questions from our reporter on Tuesday night in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

The sex workers who hitherto smile home with their pockets full now resort to lobbying customers to do “business” with them at very ridiculous low charges.

In an interactive session, Ms Wunmi Kayode told THE ENCOUNTER NEWS that before now, a round of “short time” service could be settled with N5,000 within a time frame of one hour, but the biting effects of fuel subsidy removal had forced customers to disappear.

Wunmi said one round of sex now goes for as low as between N1000 and N1500 for the same services.

Wunmi maintained that the full night charge of N20,000 has now been reduced to N5,000 just to make ends meet.

“Things are not really going on well with this business for now because of the present economic situation in the country.

“You can imagine, I come from Camp Osiele every night to this place, and at the end, customers will not come, and the few that came would be shared among the numerous co-workers here.

“So, you can imagine what we are going through, we have no option than to part away with the little money offered because I don’t want to go home empty handed,” the mother of two said.

Another sex worker who identified herself as Rita submitted that it is no longer business as usual for them, saying “my brother, business is no longer moving as it used to be.

“Things have become so hard that if you see more than three customers in one day, you will thank God. Customers are hard to come by, and when they come, the offer is nothing to write home about.

“Before fuel subsidy removal, we were enjoying high patronage with good prices. These days, I only attend to two customers with ridiculous amounts for short time services.

“Unlike now when customers hardly come to hang out in the evening, we used to have customers on daybreak ready to offer well above N5,000 and also take care of your accommodation, food and drinks. This is really hard times for us,” she said.

Rita further stated that most of her colleagues have been forced to reduce prices just to eat and maintain their body.

Narrating her latest experience as a result of the cash crunch, Jummy at GRA road, Royal Mandarin, said she is ready to quit the business if given an alternative source of livelihood.

Jummy, who only offered to speak after being given N1,000, said: “Sir, I am not happy being into this kind of business. It is hardship that led me into it. I am a single mother with one boy. I am the only one that take care of him, and I have two sisters who look up to me for assistance on their education.

“I come out every evening to hassle so that I can put food on the table for my child.

“Since the fuel subsidy removal, we have been suffering. In most cases, I will spend the whole day without anyone asking me ‘how are you’. It has been a very bitter experience. If I have other means of livelihood, I will definitely quit this job.”

It also gathered that the sex workers who usually stand along Panseke road and Iwe-Irohin, among other hotspots within Abeokuta, are worse hit by the situation as most of them complained of staying throughout the day, scouting for customers without success.

Findings further revealed that night clubs, fun centres and beer drinking joints now record very low patronage as residents hardly come out in the evening for relaxation or to have “good time” due to the cash crunch.