'Marry Bawumia first' - NDC slams Akufo-Addo over gay comments

The dispute over the likelihood of government giving the stamp of approval to homosexual practice in the future, which came up strongly last month in Ghana, looks far from over yet.

This is because a group affiliated to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper East region has joined the fray by throwing a scathing challenge at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to “pilot” the same-sex union he recently said was bound to happen in Ghana by tying the knot with Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia first.

The Crusaders, the name by which the group is called, vented their venom on the President at a news conference in the same measure some Ghanaians had shown after he indicated in an Al Jazeera interview in November that those who longed for Ghana to legalise homosexuality needed only to press the ‘push button’ hard enough.

The conference, held at the NDC’s new office complex in the Bolgatanga East Constituency, brought together party youths led by a veteran campaign strategist, Ibrahim M. Musah, as well as Sadat Jambeidu and Salifu Alukuba.

“He said it was bound to happen. He has intentionally said that if there is a pressure group [pushing for it], he would consider it. He should consider it. But we want to advise that the consideration should come from the Flagstaff House first. He should marry Bawumia first as a pilot project,” said Evans Dinko, one of the NDC activists present at the conference, as his comrades approved his statement with cheers.

Continuing, he asked with a disapproving look: “What is in a man’s anus that you want which is better than a woman’s vagina? The ingredients that are in the vagina, you can’t find them in the anus; you can only find toxic waste. There are health implications. The men who practice homosexuality in America, in Europe, are now wearing pampers and diapers.”

Group wants Bawumia’s position on Akufo-Addo’s statement

The Crusaders went beyond just their concerns about the health hazards they said same-sex intercourse posed to those involved by also claiming that the practice, if legalised in Ghana, would bring upon the country a similar ‘fire and brimstone’ God visited on Sodom and Gomorrah ages ago.

“We strongly wish to say that God/Allah will never forgive you, Mr. President, your family and your government if you ever commit this gargantuan mistake— and that will be the end of your party in tasting power again in this country!

“Mr. President, as a matter of urgency, you need to retract your statement to reassure Ghanaians that this evil act will never happen in Ghana. As Ghanaians, we have kept our entire country in your hands and legalizing this evil means you are toying with our lives which you claim to love so much and for which we gave you the nod at the 2016 general elections. As a matter of fact, you are bringing curses upon this country,” said a press statement read by Sadat Jambeidu.

The statement added: “In Islam, homosexuality is forbidden. Period. There’s no debate on the matter. The Quran al-A’raaf 7: 80-81 says, ‘Verily, you practise your lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds by committing great sins’.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, we want your position on President Akufo-Addo’s statement on the legalisation of homosexuality in Ghana vis-à-vis the position of the Holy Quran on homosexuality. We need your answer on what the President said on Al Jazeera English.”

Mahama, Mills commended for Homophobic Stance

One view the group also expressed with deep worry at the conference was that there might soon be a never-seen-before influx of lesbian and gay rights activists flooding Ghana from foreign shores to lobby government to legalise same-sex marriage, following President Akufo-Addo’s response on Al Jazeera.

“There are so many things happening under cover. Gayism and lesbianism are currently happening under cover in Ghana; we all know that. This is a green light the President has given for them to now come out in the open. Only an evil spirit will push a man to admire another man.

“What would ever attract me to a fellow man? Which part of his body would attract me when we have beautiful women around us? It is a green light that is thrown out. Just less than a week of the President passing that gay comment, two male-to-male couple were in the country.

Leviticus chapter 20 verse 13 says, ‘If a man has sexual relations with another man, they have done a disgusting thing and both shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.’ It is clear,” Ibrahim M. Musah said.

The group heaped praises on late President John Evans Atta Mills and former President John Dramani Mahama for the strong will exhibited when confronted with pressure from some developed countries to recognize gay rights in Ghana.

“Former President John Evans Atta Mills told the then Prime Minister of United Kingdom, David Cameron, that he would rather not get aid from them if that was the cost he would pay not to be part of this evil act. And he stood firm on this subject until God took him away from us. What a generational thinker the late President Atta Mills was!

“Mr. President, former President John Mahama said, ‘My country is a secular one, made up of Christians, Muslims and traditional believers. None of these sects accepts gayism and lesbianism. As a leader, once the people abhor these things, I cannot accept this culture on the grounds of human rights.

Despite our challenges, our nation stands paramount against any other foreign interest.’ What a beautiful response that was and what a great a leader we had in former President John Mahama!” acclaimed the statement.