The President of the Catholic Bishop Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, has criticised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s response to a question on LGBT in Ghana at a joint press conference with the Vice President of the US, Kamala Harris.
According to him, Akufo-Addo should have spoken about the culture of Ghana and the stance of many Ghanaians on the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 (Anti-LGBTQI bill).
“It is a concern (the president's response). We expect our president to have spoken more boldly to say what the people of Ghana, at least, have said up to now, even if it (the anti-LGBT bill) has not been passed in Parliament yet.
“At least he (Akufo-Addo) knows what the people have sent (the bill) to Parliament. So, he will say this is what the people are saying and this is what most likely is going to happen because this is what the people say," he said.
“We don’t what any softening or any change and we don’t think that Parliament will dare to change what the people have sent there,” the President of the Catholic Bishop Conference added.
What Akufo-Addo said:
At the joint press conference, both President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Kamala Harris were confronted with the issue of the criminalization of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.
Responding to the question at Jubilee House, in Accra, on Monday, March 27, President Akufo-Addo refuted the suggestion that Ghana already had an anti-LGBT law.
He said that the anti-LGBT bill, which was championed by “only a hand full of MPs”, is currently being considered by parliament.
Akufo-Addo added that even if the bill is passed, it will still have to be ratified by him. He also said that the anti-LGBT bill has been modified.
“The legislation was a private members bill; it is not an official legislation of the government but it is one that is being muted by a hand full of private members.
“My understanding from the recent discussion I had with the chairman of the committee is that the substantial elements of the bill have already been modified as a result of the intervention of the Attorney General,” he said.
Watch the Bishop's interview and Akufo-Addo's remarks in the videos below:
