Ghana loses out on appointment to AU Human Rights Commission

From Benjamin Mensah, GNA Special Correspondent, Kampala, Uganda

Kampala, July 28, GNA - Ghana unfortunately lost out on the appointment to the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) of the African Union charged with the task of promoting human rights and justice across the Continent.

Government after intense lobbying at the just ended 15th African Heads of States Summit in Kampala, Uganda, was hopeful that her candidate, Nana Oye Lithur, a Human Rights Lawyer, would be appointed to represent Ghana on the Commission, but that did not materialise.

Jean Ping, Chairperson of the AU Commission, in a resolution at the end of Summit on Tuesday evening, announced that the Heads of State approved appointments of a number of persons to the ACHPR.

He did not give out the names of the appointees, but said the panel that worked on the selection process, found it very difficult because all the candidates presented by the various countries were highly qualified.

AU Commission officials told Ghanaian Journalists that Ghana failed to make it. The list of appointees is expected to be published by the AU Commission soon.

The officials said Ghana's representative was highly tipped to be picked, but her recent position on homosexuality might have caused the panel not to give her the nod.

According to the Officials, homosexuality is abhorred by, and alien to African cultures and the Leaders of the African countries would not want to have people who seem to favour gay practice to lead institutions such as the ACHPR.

"African Leaders such as those of Uganda; Zimbabwe; Tanzania; Malawi; South Africa are hardliners against same sex," they said, adding that "such countries who have significant influence in the AU, 93are critical of people who don't share their views."

The selection of Ghana to the Commission, the officials noted, would have been a plus for Ghana considering her impressive credentials in the promotion of human rights; rule of law; good governance and democracy.

The Government's lobbying for the position on the Commission, intensified when President Mills travelled to South Africa earlier this month to appeal to the South African Government to back Ghana's candidature to the Commission.

In addition to that, he made the appeal to his colleague Presidents at the recent ECOWAS meeting in Cape Verde.

Nana Oye Lithur, Head of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative in Ghana, an international nongovernmental organisation, recently called for the promotion of the rights of homosexuals, saying that they had rights which should be protected.

The outspoken human rights campaigner was of the view that there was a need for Ghanaians to discuss the issue of homosexual rights dispassionately.

Meanwhile President Mills, who led a high powered delegation to the AU Summit returned home on Tuesday.

Briefing the media on the outcome of the Summit on arrival at the airport, President Mills described it as successful, saying significant decisions were taken by the African Leaders for progress in the areas of maternal and child health, peace and security, good governance and economic development on the Continent.

He was met on arrival by Vice President John Dramani Mahama and some Ministers of State.