Hannah Tetteh - Foreign Affairs Minister
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hanna Tetteh, has dismissed reports that Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama was humiliated in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.
According to her, the reception received from the Speaker, deputies, First Minister and MPs was warm and friendly.
Minority MPs in the British colony reportedly stormed out of their parliament upon arrival of the Ghanaian leader over claims that Ghana tolerates abuses on homosexuals.
They argued the presence of Mr. Mahama was an affront to the gay community in their country since they respect and recognise their rights.
The action has been heavily criticised by a respected Ghanaian lawyer, Ace Ankomah. Mr. Ankomah in his remarks on the matter described the action by the MPs as cheap, crass and low.
The British High Commissioner to Ghana Jon Benjamin in an interview with Morning Starr host Nii Arday Clegg on Friday said media reports regarding the boycott have been exaggerated.
In a tweet at Starr FM on Friday, the Foreign Affairs Minister stated that “no question was asked about Ghana on the floor of the Scottish Parliament yesterday.”
She added that “as we left the gallery, a lone journalist ran after us asking about our human rights record...we had no idea what he was talking about and subsequently were informed the concern was LGBT rights.”
