President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has decleared his position on the Lesbianism, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) issues in Ghana.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 2nd Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Ghana at Asante Mampong on February 27, 2021, the President stated that same sex marriage will not be legalized under his administration.
He said: “It will not be under the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that same sex marriage will be legalized in Ghana. It will never happen in my time as President.”
Prior to the declaration of his stand, calls were made on him by groups like the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference other religious organizations and individuals including government officials to not only close down the LGBT office opened at Tesano in Accra but to also declare his position on the issue.
This is because, according to them, the activities of the LGBT community is unconstitutional. It undermines the values of the Ghanaian society and the laws of God on marriage.
Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Sarah Adwoa Safo, is for instance on record to have said “the issue of the criminality of LGBT is non-negotiable and our cultural practices also frown on it”.
The long silence of the President raised agitation where some persons and groups threatened to take matters into their own hands to close or burn down the office, but the Police on receiving information about the said offices intervened and closed them down.
