Pressure Mounts on Akufo Addo to declare stance on homosexuality

Religious bodies, Civil Society Organizations and Ghanaians alike are mounting pressure on President Akufo-Addo to declare his stance on homosexuality which in recent time has become topical issue.

Whiles former Presidents John Mills and John Mahama, both of the National Democratic Congress, have openly stated their resentment to legalization of homosexuality, President Akufo-Addo has maintained a deafening silence on the subject even as opposition leader and now, President.

Even as the then main opposition leader until January 7 this year when he was sworn into office as President of Ghana, Mr Akufo-Addo remained tightlipped on the contentious issues and has consistently parried all attempts to get him to respond to the issue.

Leading a crusade to get President Akufo-Addo make his position known on the issue is the National Chief Imam, whose Spokesperson, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu told Star Fm “I would be glad if the current president comes out clearly to state a position.”

The National Chief Imam’s Spokesperson’s comment comes on the heels of revelation by a 27-year-old self-professed gay man, Benjy, that he was diagnosed with HIV/AIDs in 2012 but still continues to have unprotected sex.

He said he has so far slept with over 500 people. “Personally I don’t enjoy condoms…I am still having unprotected sex, if you value your life why wouldn’t you put it on because I wouldn’t ask you to take it off,” Benji shockingly confessed.

He continued “My first experience with anal sex was during my first year in High School, I hadn’t experienced penetration until then. It was in 2007 when we were experiencing the first load power shedding…We wouldn’t go for preps and that is where we do our own thing.

Legalization or otherwise of homosexuality is a topical issue in the country with both former Presidents Mills and Mahama openly stating the abhorrence.

In 2011, late President Mills called the bluff of then UK Prime Minister; David Cameron over the latter’s threat to cut aid to countries with anti-gay legislation. "I as president of this nation will never initiate or support any attempt to legalize homosexuality in Ghana," Mills stated.

Former President John Mahama in 2013 also described homosexuality as criminal and punishable under the laws of Ghana, insisting that it will not be legalize under his watch as President.

But President Akufo-Addo’s position on homosexuality remains unknown. The latest revelation by Benjy that he has been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS but have been having unprotected sex has generated national comdemnation, with private legal practitioner, Samson Lardi Ayenini calling for his arrest.

Appalled by the revelations in the report, Sheikh Aremeyaw called on the President Akufo-Addo to make known his stance on the “canker”, positing that the rate at which homosexuality is spreading, if care is not taken, “the very structure and root of family” will be destroyed.

Sheikh Aremeyaw further observed and likened the spread of homosexuality in the country to the galamsey menace currently destroying the country’s environment, including water bodies.

“…Galamsey when it began it was a small group that would go and collect the sand and they were doing it. Now it has become so expanded, our water bodies are being polluted; our farmlands are now being spoilt. We are being told if we don’t take care we will import water. Homosexuality is beginning with some small group somewhere and I bet you if we joke and it engulfs us, the spirit of our society and the future of our society will be endangered,” he warned.