Anti-Gay bill: Grow the economy to endure termination of aids – ECOWAS boss to Ghana

President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice, Mr Edward Amoako Asante, has asked the government of Ghana and all Ghanaians to contribute to building the local economy in order to minimize the reliance on aids for survival.

This, he said, will ensure that the country is not hard hit with possible cancellation of aids in the event of the passage of the anti-gay bill into law.

Mr Asante endorsed a move by Ghana to criminalize homosexuality in the country.

He said the human rights argument being made in favor of homosexuality should be dismissed because the customs and traditions of the people which frown on such acts supersede that human right claim.

“People claim it is human right but rights and privileges move together and human rights which are contrary to custom and tradition may not be entertained because in every country there are customs and traditions.

“Basically, all these laws thrive on customs and traditions of the people. Therefore if a massive number of people think that tradition frowns over these things then basically we can tread cautiously. But then Ghana I think should outlaw that LGBT so that it does not permeate the society at all.

“In Nigeria for example, it is a crime so Ghana is not going to lead the way, Ghana is further going to cement and support what others have done,” he told TV3’S Komla Klutse in an interview on Tuesday, July 27.

When asked whether possible cancellation of aids to Ghana following this development should be a concern to the people, he said “It shouldn’t be at all".

“Generally, in Ghana as people have said, if we put our acts together and we are able to do our internally generated fund, and the resources, if we put them to good use, we may even not need any benefits from other countries before we can survive.”

Former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute, Gabby Otchere-Darko has said the activities of homosexuals are already illegal in Ghana.

He said the new anti-gay bill that has been sent to Parliament will only lead to Ghana being blacklisted for promoting hate.

“Gay+ activities are already illegal in our country. But, we aren’t known to hate. The President has given his word he won’t legalise it.

“This Bill only serves one purpose: to get Ghana blacklisted for promoting hate! Surely, the promoters of the Bill can’t say they aren’t aware,” the leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) said in a tweet.

Ningo Prampram lawmaker Samuel Nartey George and some other lawmakers are sponsoring an anti-LGBT+ Bill in Parliament.

Portions of the bill reads “A person who, by use of media, technological platform, technological account or any other means, produces, procures, markets, broadcasts, disseminates, publishes or distributes a material for purposes of promoting an activity prohibited under the Bill, or a person uses an electronic device, the Internet service, a film, or any other device capable of electronic storage or transmission to produce, procure, market, broadcast, disseminate, publishes or distribute a material for purposes of promoting an activity prohibited under the Bill commits an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than ten years.”

Sam George is receiving flak from some quarters for sponsoring the anti-LGBT+ agenda.

For instance, Ghanaian musician Sister Derby who is also a known advocate of LGBT+ rights in Ghana “obsessed with people’s sexual orientation” and tagged him as a pervert and backward thinker.”

But he has said he is opened to intellectual debate on the anti-LGBT+ Bill he and some of his colleague lawmakers are sponsoring.

Speaking on TV3’s News 360 on Friday July 23, he said emotional outbursts have no place in legislation.

“We are opened to intellectual criticisms or criticisms and suggestions grounded in law. Emotional outburst emotional comments have no place in legislation"

“If anybody has intellectual suggestions or addition we are willing to debate the issue.”