Government being pressurised to decriminalise homosexuality - Assin South MP reveals

Assin South MP, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour has sent out a strong statement to the government and influential people in the country not to accept any proposal to decriminalise homosexuality in the country.

Rev. Ntim Fordjour alleges that some group of people have taken up a ‘demonic agenda’ of lobbying for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ghana.

He intimates that these people have "sought to canvas support from certain powerful persons and institutions in Canada to put pressure on Ghana to decriminalise homosexuality. In furtherance of their demonic agenda, it is alleged that a group of eight (8) men had embarked on soliciting signatures ostensibly to mount pressure on Ghana to decriminalise homosexuality"

The Assin South MP debunked the assertion that Ghana has no laws debarring such acts and quoted aspects of the Constitution to buttress his firm stance that homosexuality was not part of our culture and way of living as a people.

“It is worth stating that the Constitution of Ghana makes adequate provision which debars homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality and such acts that defile the core tenets of our beliefs, values, customs and traditions as a people.”

“Fortified by Article 39 of the 4th republican constitution of Ghana, I beg to state that the practices of homosexuality, lesbianism and bestiality are potentially detrimental to the health and well-being of those who engage in such acts and have been determined as inappropriate practices by the peoples of Ghana, for which those unwholesome practices have been prescribed in the laws of Ghana. Furthermore, Chapter six (6) of the criminal code, 1960 (Act 29), as amended by The Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 2003 (Act 646), fortifies the position of Article 39 of Ghana’s Constitution” he stated

The MP also urged his colleagues in Parliament to remain resolute and be firm on the previously held position of the House as espoused by the current speaker, Prof Mike Oquaye in reaction to Amnesty International’s call for Ghana to legalise homosexuality.

In 2016, some Members of the Scottish Parliament called on their government to confront John Dramani Mahama, who was President at the time, on Ghana’s alleged abuses of its lesbian and gay citizens.

Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty International’s Programme Director in Scotland had said her organisation received regular reports that LGBT people faced police harassment.

Ghana is one of about 75 countries which considers homosexuality as illegal.