A Ghanaian man who sought asylum in the United Kingdom because of his sexual orientation has spoken about the difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ people in Ghana.

Bediack Kusi Boateng, in an interview with the BBC and sighted by GhanaWeb, stated that he feels sad whenever he hears about the situation of LGBTQ+ people in Ghana, especially those who remain in the country.

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According to him, his own experience has made him understand the fear and pressure some LGBTQ+ people face in their daily lives.

“I feel sad when I hear it, and sometimes I'm drawn to tears because I've had my fair experience of what they are going through, where at some point you can't live like who you want to be. You can't express yourself,” he said.

Boateng shared that LGBTQ+ people in Ghana often have to be careful about who they trust and how they behave in public for fear of being suspected or exposed.

“When you are going out, you have to check [everything]. Is it safe? Can I trust this person with this, with who I am? Can I have an open conversation with this person without this person suspecting? Because, you know, in Ghana, you don't really have to say anything. Even the way you talk, the way you walk, people might become suspicious of you, how you dress and things,” he shared.

He also said he is unable to visit Ghana despite having family in the country because he does not want to hide his identity.

He said returning would be difficult because he wants to live openly without pretending to be someone else.

“Visiting Ghana would be difficult. It's a sad situation for me, especially having a family there, but I can't visit because I really want to live like who I am without needing to pretend, without needing to lie to anybody and it's very sad,” he added.

His comments come following the passage of the controversial anti-LGBTQ legislation, which currently awaits presidential assent.

Speaking on the bill, Boateng criticised the level of questioning President John Dramani Mahama received during his recent visit to the United Kingdom over whether he would assent to the bill.

“The president of Ghana came to the UK recently. I saw him being interviewed, but they didn't even push him very much to get that answer from whether he's going to assent to it or not. They just left it in blankets for him, and then he was able to give an answer,” he said.

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He also expressed hope that the Archbishop of Canterbury’s engagement in Ghana would help promote a better understanding of LGBTQ+ people.

“I’m hoping that the archbishop will use this visit to educate them that queer people were born like that. It's not as if it's a choice or a lifestyle that we want to lead,” he concluded.

MAG/VPO

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