Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River state, says young people must be encouraged to abstain from sexual intercourse till they get married.
Gov. Ayade
While speaking on Thursday at the commemoration of the 2016 World AIDS Day celebration in Calabar, the Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, said that young people must be encouraged to abstain from sexual intercourse till they get married adding that abstinence and faithfulness are the only ways to end the HIV scourge in Nigeria.
The governor who disclosed that it’s high time young people were taught that s*x before marriage is a taboo in the African culture, also criticised campaigns advocating for condom usage, saying it’s a false feeling of protection.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ayade said condoms have thus far failed to stop the spread of the HIV scourge.
“Rather, it increases the level of promiscuity among the younger generation and encouraged unfaithfulness. The absolute factor that can put an end to HIV/AIDS spread is total loyalty and abstinence.
“Married couples must be faithful to their partners. Young people must remain virgins until they get married and never allow any barber to use unsterilised clipper to barb your hair.
“Whatever the story, AIDS is real, it is a scourge, you must avoid it,” the governor said.
Ayade further noted that his government would do everything within its power to curtail the spread of the virus in Cross River.