Double stance on human right issues in Ghana-LGBTQ+

The 1992 constitution of Ghana emphasizes the need for each individual, group, or the larger society to exercise their fundamental human right which is inalienable to their existence, and under no conditions should they be disturbed for exercising such rights and is one of the few provisions within the constitution that have been protected and can not be amended or repel easily.

The Parliament of Ghana and section of Ghanaians in the past few years are pushing for the amendment to the 1861 unnatural canal knowledge law which saw some amendments in the 1960's section 106 of the constitution to be clearer and punishable in an event someone indulges in same-sex or has anything to do with same-sex being it direct or indirect.

The proposed anti LGBTQ+ or the Proper Human Right sex and Ghanaian value bill 2021 which is 36 page document with various sections that spelt out what the bill intent to achieve when passed to law. Part of the sections defined what constitutes proper sex and the consequences should an individual or group defile such orders or goes contrary to provisions of such bill.

To start with a few examples of the provisions of the proposed bill, section 1 of the bill state the punishment for engaging in same-sex, transgender, or having affection to same-sex gender, one is liable to not less than three years and not more than five years of imprisonment or both and the section 2 also highlighted on punishment for any individuals or groups that seek to promote or advocate for LGBTQ activities in Ghana, the culprit would be liable for imprisonment not less than five or not more than 10 years of imprisonment or both when it becomes law.

The ongoing LGBTQ brouhaha has generated three classes of society the first class that are in support for the passage of the bill becoming law the second classes are against the passage and the third class are advocating for caution in the attempt of passing the bill to become law.

The first class or groups that are in support of the passage of the bill to become law argues that such practices are alien to our culture and hence should not be entertained example on 5th July 2023 all 275 representatives in the House of Parliament supported the passage of the bill becoming law, leader of the coalition for proper Human sexual Right and family values in the person's of Moses Foh-Amoaning.

He is of the view that those who engage in LGBTQ activities are abnormal and a bill should be passed to restrain such Community from engaging or advocating for LGBTQ activities also on 30th November 2021 Akwasi the leader of the Mental Health Authority Ghana in support of the passage of the bill becoming law and argues that LGBTQ+ community are abnormal people and therefore need not be entertained.

The second group that is against the passage of the bill becoming law example the country's director of Amnesty international in the person's Genevieve Partington argues that passing the bill will infringe the fundamental human rights of some individuals or groups in exercising their rights and must not be pass to ensure fairness, Ghana Human Right an NGO also added their voices calling passing the bill to become law will steal our fundamental human rights which has been enshrine in the constitutions of most countries within the globe.

The third group are on a cautious path and are warning society to be circumspect in an attempt of passing the proposed bill in becoming law, CHRAJ which stands for Commission on Human Right and Administration Justice on the view that society must be careful in an attempt of passing the bill becoming law and that we must consider so many varieties and the excesses such laws may come with and on 24th Oct 2021 Ghana President Akuffo addo call for civil discussion on the bill stating that we will recognize the need for us to be tolerant of each when there are opposing views.

As an article writer and someone who believes in protecting the fundamental human rights of all persons irrespective of age, size, race, or gender I seek to solicit decent views of how to deal with this slippery national issue which is the Anti LGBTQ proposed bill so that at the end Ghanaians will be winners and not victimizes.

First and foremost, I will like to remain Ghanaians that there are more pressing issues to deal with rather than spending our quality time in engaging into issues that are not in itself an issue we should be considering for now.

National issues such as corruption, unemployment, robbery and proper proposed long-term national development agender should be issues we should be bothered with and not this trivial LGBTQ brouhaha which seems to be consuming most of our precious hours.

The Ghanaian teeming active youth are idle without any job and the ramifications of these actions are the high rate of crime recording in Ghana and the high rate of youth engaging in LGBTQ activities which is their legitimate right to exercise in any case as compared to robbery and other social vices the teeming unemployment youth engage themselves.

The issue of corruption to me is what we as Ghanaians must be bothered with for now since is taking us back in attempt to developed as nation. The juicy act which is benefiting some few groups of people who have the chance of controlling national resources are the topics they wish should not be brought to the limelight rather they will sponsor topics such as LGBTQ as a national issue so as to diverse attention from the barbaric acts such as the corrupting act they indulges themselves in.

As an Advocacy and someone who believes in the protection of the fundamental human rights of all persons and groups will add my voice to the third group of Advocacy which includes the Ghana president and other legal think-tank groups that are calling for a cautious path in considering passing the so call Proper Human sex and Ghanaian value bill 2021 of becoming law.

I previously wrote extensively on the need to be careful so as not to rush in passing the bill as a national that will eventually add up to issues we are struggling to deal with for instance when this bill passes through the consideration stage in Parliament and becomes a law deviant group of people can use it as sabotage tools to extort money from well establish people or people with a decent image who will do anything within their powers to protect themselves and their families from being tagged as LGBTQ+ actives.

I as an Advocate person have been the victim of such sabotage a group threatened to expose me and my family as practitioners of LGBTQ and demanded me pay some money in order for them to buried that agenda of theirs of which I made a formal complain to the police.

As a patriotic Ghanaian and an Advocacy who seeks to see every people is free in exercising his or her rights without infringing on anybody's rights will plead for all and sundry to be tolerant of embarrassing opposing views in order to ensure free and fair coexistence within Ghana.