President of the Plateau State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Prostitutes (NANP), Ms. Sunita Jatau, has cried out over the escalating cost of living in the country which has adversely affected her members, forcing many of them into severe hardship and hunger.

Ms. Jatau who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday, said with the way things are going, the association may be forced into a nationwide protest which will be decided at the national executive council meeting of the association scheduled for Abuja next month.

She added that members of the union in Plateau State, especially in Jos, are undergoing low patronage as their customers are not willing to pay their new price due to the economic situation in the country.

Ms. Jatau added that as a result, their members have to settle for whatever their customers can afford.

“I can tell you that things have become so hard that our members have resorted to taking anything the customer offers,” she began.

“Before now, we used to charge between N2,000 and N5,000 depending on the man involved and the duration.

“But with the present situation in the country, you hardly find men who are willing to pay the stipulated amount. Some men even offer as little as N1,000 for the whole night while some offer as little as N200 or N300 for short time. It is that bad.

“Most of our members are the breadwinners of their families. Some have parents they take care of. Some have children and other dependants. How do we cope in this harsh economy?

“It is on this premise that the national body has called for an emergency National Executive Council meeting next month in Abuja. At the meeting, we will consider the option of a nationwide strike in all state capitals and Jos will not be an exception.

“We will occupy the streets of Jos, the Government House and the State House of Assembly to register our displeasure with what is happening in the country.

“Yes, we have enough members to carry out a total lockdown of the state capital.

“Many people do not know that we are a registered organisation both at the federal and state levels. We have members in all the 17 local government areas of Plateau State.

“We have over 20,000 registered members in this state and if such large number turns out for the protest, people will take us serious,” Ms. Jatau emphasized.