LGBTQ: it is a sensitive human rights issue – Akufo-Addo

Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has spoken on the anti-LGBTQ bill currently before Parliament. He made the remarks on the bill while addressing journalists at the seat of government in Accra.

According to the first gentleman of the country, the bill will meet all aspirations. He said Parliament is currently dealing with the bill and the Attorney General is also working out his part.

“The Bill is going through Parliament, the Attorney General is doing its part regarding the constitutionality or otherwise of its provisions and Parliament is dealing with it. At the end of the process, I will come in, but in the meantime, Parliament is dealing with it. And I know that the Parliament of Ghana will show us what it’s done in its past. First of all, it’s a sensitive human rights issue, as well as the feelings of our population and will come up with a responsible response to the proposal,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Currently, before Parliament, the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill popularly referred to as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill is seeking to protect Ghanaian culture and values according to the proponents of the bill.

Among other things, the bill says a “grossly indecent act” is a misdemeanour and it means: “A public show of amorous relations between or among persons of the same sex; “A public show of amorous relations between to among persons where one or more of the persons have undergone gender sex reassignment, or “Intentional cross-dressing to portray that person is of a gender different from the gender assigned at birth with intent to engage in an act prohibited under the act.

Ghanaians this week took to social media to talk about the bill after lights at the Jubilee House showed rainbow signs. Rainbow is regarded as the LGBTQI+ flag colour so Ghanaians were alarmed that the seat of government was lit with lights in those colours.

The lighting was supposed to be the colours of the flags of Ghana and the United States of America. It was done to welcome the Vice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris who arrived in the country. She is on a 9-day tour of Africa and her journey across the continent began in Ghana on Sunday.