Members of Parliament (MPs), on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, had a shock of their lives when lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) groups in Ghana stormed the legislature to demand their so-called rights.
The LGBT group, the DAILY HERITAGE newspaper understands, have started lobbying some MPs to speak on their behalf and ensure that their rights and freedoms are guaranteed in the laws of Ghana.
The Ranking Member of the Gender and Children Committee, Laadi Ayii Ayamba, who broke the story, told her colleague MPs that at a forum which was attended by herself and the Deputy Majority Leader, Sarah Adwoa Safo, the issue about LGBT came up for discussion where their opinion was sought about how they could help fight for the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender.
“I, in particular, made them understand that for us we will be discussing and take it up but they should come and sit in the public gallery and declare that they are the gay people in Ghana and also present the matter to Mr. Speaker and hear what they will say. Believe me or not, it brought the discussion to an end. As for Hon. Adwoa, she simply said my father will slaughter me,” she noted.
Ms Ayamba, who is the lawmaker for Pusiga, was contributing to a joint statement on external pressure to legalize the practice of homosexuality in Ghana raised by the MP for Ho West, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, MP for Ledzokuku, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, and MP for Krachi West, Helen Adjoa Ntoso.
‘Don’t legalize homosexuality’
The MP for Ho West and President of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship, Mr Bedzrah, in his statement, appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to allow any form of pressure, from either within or outside, to cause him to introduce and or sponsor a bill to Parliament for the legalization of homosexuality in Ghana since it is alien to the values system of the citizenry.
“We urge His Excellency, the President, to be resolute and reject in whole all enticements, juicy promises and pressures from the West to accept this dehumanizing practice,” he noted.
In the view of Mr Bedzrah, Ghanaian customs frown on gay and lesbian engagements or practices, noting that “traditionally, people found to have engaged in such practices are banished from society. No religion in Ghana, be it Christian, Islamic or Traditional, condones the act. LGBT offends the culture, morality and heritage of the entire people and must not be condoned”.
The lawmaker for Ledzokuku, Dr. Boye, said any effort in determining the status of homosexuality within the framework of legislation should take serious consideration of the health outcomes that come with particular sexual orientation practice since same sex relationship brought about the deadly HIV/AIDs to the world.
Future of the world belongs to Africa
The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, contributing to the statement, urged Africans to resist any attempt from the West to infiltrate their culture with homosexuality since they are responsible for their future.
Ghana, he noted, would not compromise on its stance against homosexuality, noting that the country had grown past the dictates of the West.
“The future of the world belongs to Africa. We will not be misled again. This is a matter that people are trying to force on us. We are not boys and girls in this country and so we will not take it. I look forward to leadership to raise the matter for us to discuss and give a clear indication to everybody that Ghana will not compromise on our stance against homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexualism or whatever,” he noted.
