Ghana President Nana Akufo Addo in tight spot; set to make tough choices on anti-LGBT bill

Opposition lawmakers in Ghana are forcing Nana Akufo Addo, the country's President into a tight spot by promoting an anti-LGBT law, condemned widely by critics in the country for undermining the rights of the community. Gay sex is illegal in the West African nation, however, a new law proposal has been mentioned that not only discriminates against the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people but also denounces anyone who tries to help them. 

Ghana President to take tough decisions on the anti-LGBT bill?

The proposal that includes criminalising LGBT advocacy, supports and justifies conversion therapy, and imposes longer jail sentences, was introduced in parliament of the highly religious African nation, earlier this month. Several international organizations extended their support to the activists by protesting against the "promotion of proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values bill" drafted by eight lawmakers. 

According to France 24, a group of UN experts had worded their statement, "Adopting the legislation in its current or any partial form would be tantamount to a violation of a number of human rights standards, including the absolute prohibition of torture." "It will not only criminalise LGBTI people, but anyone who supports their human rights shows sympathy to them or is even remotely associated with them."

Once the proposal is passed by the parliament, it will be ultimately Nana Akufo Addo's decision whether to adopt the text or support the community. The President, who won his second term in the office in the month of December 2020, may be unwilling to do so in order to protect the rights of the community. According to a research group, Afrobarometer as per 2014 data, over 90 percent of Ghanaians stated they would approve of the President's decision to criminalise same-sex relationships. 

Akufo-Addo has publicly stated that same-sex marriage would not become legal under his watch. However, the debate comes at an inopportune time for Akufo Addo, who plans to attract African-Americans and the Ghanaian diaspora through his programme, The Year of Return. With Ghana being known for its stability and respect for the law, the country has attracted businesses like Twitter, which stated that it would open its first Africa office in the country.

IMAGE: AP