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John Mahama is not gay – Okoe Boye

John Dramani Mahama, Former president

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has stated that it would be inaccurate to refer to former President John Dramani Mahama as a homosexual.

Speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo on July 10, 2023 concerning issues of LGBTQI+ rights, Dr. Boye emphasized that although Mahama has not publicly condemned the activities of the LGBTQI+ community, his family records and deeds indicate that he is not gay.

He cautioned against misinterpreting Mahama's silence on the matter, suggesting that the former president might not have felt pressured enough or been provided the right environment to openly express his views.

He further pointed to Mahama's number of children as evidence of his heterosexual orientation.

He stated, "When you look at JM's number of children, as in his family, I would not believe if someone tells me that JM is gay. I will tell you it is a lie. Deeds speak more than words; he is not gay but when he was president for four years, I don’t remember him saying on any platform that gayism is against God’s will, …in English, we will say has he been solicited or has he been provoked?”

The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, is a private member’s bill sponsored by Sam George (NDC MP), Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah (NDC MP), Della Adjoa Sowah (NDC MP), Rev Ntim Fordjour (NPP MP), Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini (NDC MP), Rita Naa Odoley Ntso (NDC MP) and Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor (NDC MP).

The bill among other things seeks to criminalise same sex and the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities.

Parliament on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, adopted a motion to approve the bill.

Meanwhile, some pro-LGBTQ+ governments have expressed concerns about the bill.

According to critics of the bill, it will infringe on the rights of LGBTQ+ members if approved into law.