Ghanaian pastor and politician, Christian Kwabena Andrews popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, has expressed disappointment in the President’s recent comment on LGBTQ+.
He observed that, unlike the late President Atta Mills who was firm on his stance against LGBTQ+, President Akufo-Addo is portraying a weak stance on the issue.
In an interview with Sefah-Danquah on the Happy Morning Show, he stated: “The president is at the focal point and he is the first gentleman of this country. You will recall Atta Mills statement on LGBTQ where he emphatically stated that another country cannot decide for us and that it is not our culture. Let’s not support anything that comes our way because the party we belong to also supports that. It is madness.”
“If something is wrong, it is wrong. His indecision will not help. So why wont he come out to tell his countrymen and women that he does not accept it? Today the argument on LGBTQ+ is very heated and everyone is talking about it,” he added.
He added that anyone who defends the President’s statement will also be acting in bad fate as we cannot allow the West to control all aspects of our lives.
President Akufo-Addo during an interview with an Accra-based station, was asked his thoughts on LGBTQ+.
In response to this question, he explained that he can never be pressured by discussions on LGBTQ+ ongoing in the country.
Rather, he called on Ghanaians to be tolerant of one another’s views shared on the LGBTQ+ controversy.
“I can’t feel pressured. We’re talking about public opinion. We’re talking about legitimate processes that are being used. What I would hope for is that the debate itself will be civil and that we will recognize the need for us to be tolerant of each other, even when there are opposing views,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Speaker of Parliament received a private member bill from some MPs that would expand on the current law that provides up to three years in prison for same-sex activity.
The new bill when passed will prohibit and criminalize advocacy, funding and act of LGBTQ+ while promoting conversion therapy programs seeking to “convert” people from homosexuality to heterosexuality.
Meanwhile, fifteen renowned legal, academic and civil society professionals have filled a memorandum challenging the anti-gay legislation submitted to Parliament.
In the memorandum, they contend that the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, which seeks to criminalize LGBTQ+ and adjacent activities, is an “impermissible invasion of the inviolability of human dignity.”
Some Christian leaders, on the other hand, have submitted a memorandum to Parliament on the Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, endorsing the bill.
