National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Mahama has expressed his opposition to LGBTQ+ activities. The former president made this known during an address to Zongo chiefs in Koforidua on Wednesday, January 31. Mr Mahama, a member of the Assemblies of God Church, emphasised that his faith condemns such acts. He strongly stated his disapproval of homosexuality.
However, he mentioned that the government, led by President Akufo-Addo, has indicated that the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently before Parliament will not be signed into law. “I am against LGBTQ. I am a member of the Assemblies of God Church, and my faith is against it. The faith I have does not allow a man to marry a man and a woman to marry a woman. The Anti-LGBTQ+ currently before Parliament, the government has indicated that President Akufo-Addo will not sign it into law when passed,” he said.
Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam George, has urged Ghana’s Parliament to stand firm and not yield to the warnings from Virginia Palmer, the US Ambassador to Ghana, regarding the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
In a media interview, he emphasised the importance of upholding Ghanaian values and belief systems instead of succumbing to external pressures or advisories. Mr. George asserted the crucial need for Ghanaians to recognize the significance of preserving their cultural identity and principles.
“It is high time Ghanaians begin to realize that the way we sell ourselves is how we will be bought and that this is a sovereign nation and in fact, for anybody who goes into business or partnership, the first interest of any potential business partner is a sense of integrity and a value system and so if you tell the Ghanaian people that our culture frowns on this (LGBTQ) but because of a few thousand or million dollars worth of investment that is not even proven will come, you push it aside, Ghana will be seen as the country that does not have integrity and any true businessman will not come here to work with us.”
“So let us not buy into the rhetoric and let us stop regurgitating that rhetoric that if we pass the bill, something will happen to us”
Ernest K. Arhinful
