The former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has stirred controversy and subsequently called on Ghanaians to "fight" against LGBTQI rights, tagging the community a threat to the country's culture and morality. The comments, made during a public address in the capital, Accra, have fired up tensions amid an ongoing debate on full rights for LGBTQI persons in Ghana.
Mahama, who spoke at a rally organized by the opposition NDC, emphasized the need to protect the country's traditions and values from what he described as foreign influences. "We cannot allow these foreign ideologies to destroy our families and our society," Mahama declared. "Let us stand together and fight against LGBTQI rights because it goes against our culture and our religious beliefs."
International and local human rights organisations and advocates of LGBTQI+ have also criticized the former president's utterances sharply. Many have viewed Mahama's pronouncement as an attack on the rights of the LGBTQI community, who have faced increased persecution in Ghana. Human rights activists have branded the rhetoric as irresponsible and said it only whets appetites for discrimination and violence against people due to their sexual orientation.
Such comments, by a former head of state, are truly disturbing, said Vanessa L. Kaye, a spokesperson for Proud Ghana, an LGBTQI rights group based in Ghana. "They not only perpetuate hate and stigma, but they also undermine efforts to create a more inclusive and tolerant society.
Some ruling NPP members have risen in his defense, arguing that the former president is only repeating what is already on the lips of the majority of Ghanaians. "The values of our people should be respected, and to attempt foisting LGBTQI rights is divisive," argued an NPP spokesperson.
The government of Ghana has not responded to Mahama's latest comments yet, but the remarks do come at a time when parliamentarians in the country are debating the controversial "Anti-LGBTQI Bill" that criminalizes same-sex relations and advocacy for LGBTQI rights.
While debate rages on, the issue remains polarizing in Ghana's politics, with many calling for more dialogue on how human rights and cultural values can be balanced.
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