Ghana’s parliament on Wednesday unanimously passed a controversial anti-homosexuality bill that has drawn international condemnation.
“After three long years, we have finally passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act,” said Sam George, one of the main sponsors of the bill on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The bill, which was introduced in the parliament in 2021, not only criminalizes LGBTQ relationships, but also those who support LGBTQ rights.
African countries still widely criminalize same-sex activity, mostly because of colonial era laws. But a raft of recent bills and proposed laws across Africa have looked to clarify and, in some cases, strengthen those laws.
The bill in Ghana still needs to be signed off by the country’s president before it becomes law.
Bishop Dr. Stephen Owusu Agyeman, the founder and leader of Apostles Pentecostal Ministry International, in Techiman, in the Bono East Region, has valiantly urged president Nana Akuffo-Addo to assent to the recently passed Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
The Bishop made the call in his message on Fabea FM's "Me Man ho Dadwen" with the host, Apiah-Kubi in an interview. He appealed to the President to assent the Bill to become law and ensure that Ghana does not set a legal precedent that will be difficult to overcome in the future, if he (the president) is against such bad propensity and therefore must be in an exigency.
He stated that individuals showing the negative consequences should not be considered by the president to surrender to their threats on a path of self-destruction.
The Bishop’s statement comes amidst the passage of the anti-gay bill by the Ghanaian parliament waiting for the president's assent to the Bill.
He further said, "This will clearly show we Ghanaians the position of the president on the homosexuality".
He agreed on the passage of the bill approved by the parliament with its penalties for the offence of aggravators.
He added that homosexuality is currently a challenge because it is being forced on the country by outsiders, foreign actors against Ghana’s will, culture, and religious beliefs.
He concluded that some people and institutions are disguising themselves as “human rights activists,” but are corrupting real human rights by adding LGBTQI+ to their agenda.
He commented the Parliament for upholding the position of homosexuality being illegal, saying, there is no moral equivalence between LGBTQ+ and the African way, Biblical way and natural law.
The Bishop finally reiterated that the powers in Ghana's name should not be taken for granted, therefore urge Nana Addo to assent the bill with immediate effect.
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