IGBTQ+ : I feel sad for Ghana – Akoto Ampaw

Ghanaian legal practitioner and human rights activist, Mr Akoto Ampaw has said he feels sad for the Ghana as far as its position on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexuals, Transgender and Queer Individuals (LGBTQI+) is concerned.

Speaking on TheKeyPoint on TV3 on October 9 monitored by GhanaPlus.com, he said the position taken by the country was retrogressing and not the way to go, especially, at this time in our development.

“I feel sad for Ghana; I think that this is not where we should be heading at this time of our development. And that It’s a retrogress step that we are taking and I hope that through this discussions that is going on in the country now, which I hope fully believe will become less one of insult and name calling, we can address the main issues and reach a common conclusion as a society”  Mr Ampaw said.

CNN report on Gay Right in Ghana

Mr Akoto Ampaw was reacting to a report aired by the United State of America’s Cable News Network, otherwise known as the CNN.

The report highlight Ghana’s “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021″ which seeks to criminalise the practice and suppose abuse and humiliation suffered by LGBTQ+ individuals in the country.

 The report was title “How a US group with links to the far-right may have influenced a crackdown on Ghana’s LGBTQ community” and was put together by the media station’s reporters David Mckenzie and Nimi Pricewill.

The report told a story of one LGBTQ+ individual who was only identified as Joe for security purposes.

Ghana’s elite oppose Ghana’s Anti LGBTQ+ bill

LGBTQ+, a never ending conversation has emerged again after two month following an opposition of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 by a group of Ghanaian elites.

 The group made of professors includes, Legal practitioner, Mr Akoto Ampaw, Communication Specialist, Professor Emerita Takyiwaaa Manuh, a Veteran Journalist, Lecturer and Communications Specialist,Professor Kwame Karikari, Co-Founder of Afrobarometer andm Academian, Professor Kofi Gyimah-Boadi, Dean of the School of Information and Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, and Gender Advocate and  Journalist, Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, Coordinator of the Third World Network, Dr Yao Graham, Professor of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Professor Dzodzi Tsikata and  Executive Director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh.

Others are former Secretary-General of the Trades Unions Congress (TUC), Mr Kwasi Adu Amankwah, Senior Research Officer at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana),Dr Kojo Asante, Chairman at Food Security Policy Advocacy Network, Mr Kingsley Ofei-Nkansah, CEO of Heritage Development, Mr Akunu Dake, Head of Programmes Third World Network, Mr Tetteh Hormeku-Ajie, the Dean of Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana, Professor Raymond Atuguba, Politican and former member of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Dr Charles Wereko -Brobby, Chief Executive Officer Afrobarometer, Dr Joseph Asunka and Journalist, Nana Ama Agyemang Asante.

According to the group, the bill which sought to criminalize the activities of the LGBTQ+ would wear away fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1992 constitution.

“The bill violates virtually all the key fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the constitution , namely the right to freedom of speech and expression , the right to assemble , freedom of association and the right to organise , the right to freedom from discrimination and the right to human dignity ,” Mr Ampaw who spoke on behalf of the group at a press conference in Accra said.

Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021

Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 seeking is10key point including 3 to 5years or imprisonment for persons found culpable over LGBTQI+ activities.

The bill put together by some Members of Parliament, members of clergy also among other things deny LGBTQ+ individual right to adoption, provide medical assistance and treatment  as well as protect them against citizens abuse.

Source: GhanaPlus.com