Homosexuality: Akufo-Addo 'shocked' me – Kofi Adams

National Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams says he was gretaly surprised to hear President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s response on homosexuality.

“I least expected Nana Addo to give such a response. I was shocked,” he said in an interview with Akwasi Aboagye on NEAT FM’s morning show dubbed ‘Ghana Montie’.

President Nana Addo has been condemned by what many described as a ‘not too-straight forward’ answer on Ghana’s stance on homosexuality.

The president, who spoke to Aljazeera’s Jane Dutton said, the country's culture and tradition for now will not permit the legal support of homosexuality, but was quick to add that if public opinion changes, the law may just be amended.

He alluded to his earlier stay in England, which, in the past, frowned upon homosexuality but later succumbed to pressure from LGBT lobbyists to amend their laws to accommodate same-sex relationship.

"....this is the socio-cultural issue if you like…I don’t believe that in Ghana, so far, a sufficiently strong coalition has emerged which is having that impact on public opinion that will say: ‘Change it [the law], let’s then have a new paradigm in Ghana.

"I grew up in England; I went to school as a young boy in England and I grew up at a time in England when homosexuality was banned there, it was illegal and I lived in the period when British politicians thought it was anathema to think about changing the law and suddenly the activities of individuals, of groups, a certain awareness, a certain development grew and grew and grew stronger and it forced a change in law.

"I believe those are the same processes that will bring about changes in our situation.

"At the moment, I don’t feel and I don’t see that in Ghana, there is that strong current of opinion that will say: ‘This is something that we need even deal with’. It’s not, so far, a matter which is on the agenda," he added.

But the NDC National Organiser is wondering why the president failed to boldly state the country's position as well as his personal view on the matter in the interview.

He however stressed that “Ghana is not ready and will never be ready for homosexual acts. It’s a criminal offense here so the president should have stated that clearly. Previous leaders stated clearly they are not for this legalization of homosexual act, what prevented President Nana Addo from doing same?”