Parliament must take a step further towards criminalizing gay rights - Akwasi Osei

Dr. Akwasi Osei, the Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, has stated that Ghana's parliament ought to take further steps towards passing legislation that would criminalize homosexuality.

According to the Chief Psychiatrist, Ghana's legislation outlawing homosexuality is not specific enough in it's condemnation of the illegal act. Dr. Osei stated that he would like to see action taken at the Supreme Court level in order to make the condemnation of homosexuality more clear-cut. Currently, the legislation that condemns homosexuality in Ghana states that "unnatural carnal known is unlawful", a law that LGBT activists have argued does not apply to them since homosexual relations isn't unnatural to homosexuals.

’I agree with the Speaker when he made that statement..." he said, referring to yesterday's comment by Ghana's Speaker, Prof Mike Ocquaye, "...but I will even want someone to go further to the Supreme Court so they will be explicit on the law and criminalize homosexuality,’ said Dr. Osei. Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Ocquaye stated yesterday that Ghana would not review the legislation condemning homosexuality, adding that doing so may lead to the subsequent legalizing of human-animal sexual relations.

"Is amnesty International going to tell us that many countries are doing that so you too have to accept homosexuality, to accept humans sleeping with animals because [it] is also becoming a human right in some countries." Said Speaker Mike Ocquaye. Speaking to Rainbow Radio's Kwame Tutu, Dr. Akwasi Osei stated that the he agreed with the Speaker of Parliament "100 percent" and said that he wants government to "go further and pass laws to further criminalize homosexuality. We cannot decriminalize homosexuality.’