The Member for Parliament for Evalue-Gwira, Mrs Catherine Abelema Afeku Tuesday retracted her statement that some women who went to Angola to cheer the Stars served other purposes. Some 440 people were selected and flown to Angola Sunday to cheer the Black Stars in their final game against Egypt at the just ended African Cup of Nations. Mrs Afeku told Parliament on Tuesday that she had information that some of the women were selected for sexual purposes but the Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo asked her to provide proof. She couldn't and therefore retracted the statement after attracting a huge uproar, given the controversial nature of the statement. Speaking to Citi News, the MP alleged that it is something that has been happening. “It’s a common phenomenon in our country, across the globe women being taken advantage of for services (sex) for those kinds of events,” she said. “It is time we bring certain issues at the House so people do know that women can be taken serious, we are not just there as comforters or handbags. We do know because the 450 people that left to support the boys, a lot of young women are lured into such trips to perform services and we do know,” “We don’t want to encourage young women to think that they are only there for the pleasure of people because they are getting a trip. You do go in your own capacity as a woman to appreciate the efforts of the Black Stars,” she added. She intimated that the fact that a woman (Akua Sena Dansua) has now been appointed as the Minister for Youth ans Sports should elevate young women to understand that they can use their brains and not their bodies to travel to watch football. Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana