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Private Legal Practitioner, Mr. Akoto Ampaw, has kicked against the criminalisation of LGBTQ activities in the country.
The Human Rights activist says doing so is a clear violation of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
His remarks follow a statement by some renowned academics and civil society professionals, [of which he is part], challenging the anti-gay legislation submitted to Parliament.
The Lawyer, told Kofi Adoma Nwanwani on Angel FM’s Anopa Bofo Morning that: “these provisions that criminalize various aspects of LGBTQ rights and activities are clearly in violation of our constitution especially those provisions of the constitution that guarantees our fundamental human rights”.
He cautioned Ghanaians to be circumspect when making statements concerning LGBTQ matters.
According to the lawyer, he does not dispute the fact that majority of the Ghanaian populace detest anything LGBTQ and their related activities, however, that is not sufficient to impose a general ban on gay people and their rights via law.
“It has nothing to do with whether we like or despise LGBTQ people. That is far from the point. Our position is that you don’t take your personal or religious views and use it to impose laws on all Ghanaians”.
He also argued that the provisions of the constitution which guarantees the rights and freedoms of Ghanaians to join any religious group or association of their choice also permits Ghanaians not to have any religion.
Lawyer Akoto Ampaw is of the firm belief that criminalizing gay activities is tantamount to making the lives of LGBTQ persons a ‘living hell’, to which he posits that the constitution frowns upon any provisions or practice that is dehumanizing.
To buttress his point, he quoted Article 26 (2) of the constitution which bans all customary practices which dehumanizes or are injurious to the physical and mental wellbeing of a person.
“This is a direct order from the constitution so you can’t use African values under this provision to make life a living hell for LGBTQ people by criminalizing them”
“What is the material harm LGBTQ people cause to the Ghanaian society which is more serious than the harm men commit when they impregnate teenagers and young women and abandon them and the children to fend for themselves?”, he queried.
