General News of Sunday, 4 June 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

LGBTQ+ pops up in Assin North by-election campaign as Presidential Staffer makes allegations against NDC

Lawyer Baba Jamal and presidential staffer Dennis Miracles Aboagye Lawyer Baba Jamal and presidential staffer Dennis Miracles Aboagye

In a heated political atmosphere leading up to the Assin North by-election, accusations are flying between the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Presidential staffer Dennis Miracles Aboagye has accused NDC communicators of spreading misinformation about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's stance on homosexuality.

During an appearance on TV3's Key Points on Saturday, June 3, Aboagye revealed that NDC campaigners in Assin North were allegedly telling the people that President Akufo-Addo is seeking to pass a law in support of homosexuality.

He claimed that the supposed NDC campaigners alleged that the president needed more numbers in Parliament to achieve this, and therefore, the electorate should vote for NDC candidate James Gyakye Quasyon to prevent it.

Aboagye said "The NDC in their house-to-house and door-to-door campaign are telling the people that it is Nana Akufo-Addo who has sacked Gyakye Quayson because he is trying to pass an LGBTQI law for which he needs the numbers so they should let Gyakye Quayson go back to Parliament and block that. Let me tell the people of Assin North that it is not true, Nana Akufo-Addo hasn't presented any law to parliament either for or against LGBTQI."

In reaction to the allegations by Miracle Aboagye, former MP and a member of the legal team of the NDC, Baba Jamal denied these statement stressing on the need for politicians to be credible with their information rather than peddle falsehood.

“Sometimes I think that as politicians when we come to national television we should be measured with what we say. You don’t go a pick rumour and come and sit here and start peddling. NDC officials and you don’t even give names,” Baba Jamal stated.

The Assin North by-election, which has been highly anticipated, is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 27, according to the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC).

The LGBTQI issue remains a sensitive and contentious topic in Ghana, with differing views among political parties and the general public.

Both the NPP and the NDC are vying for victory in the by-election, hoping to secure the vacant parliamentary seat.

YNA/KPE