Ghana tops gay list in Africa

Ghana has been named as the African country with the most registered homosexual ‘hopefuls’ seeking expatriate partners. This is according to an online website that is ripe with homosexual information.

A statement on accraexpats.com by a contributor, Andy S, stated that though Ghana was not an African gay paradise, there may be many desperate young men who were looking for greener pastures.

“Dating sites are the most frequently used ways to meet a (potential) lover or gay guide in a foreign country. At sites like Outpersonals or Gaydar, you will find that Ghana is the country in Africa with the most registered hopefuls.”

“No other country in Africa has so many boys and men looking for a partner on Outpersonals with picture (often naked) than Ghana. Does this mean Ghana is the Gay paradise in Africa? No...! It may mean that there are plenty young men desperate enough to seek greener pastures elsewhere and who are developed enough to have access to the internet and a digital camera,” Andy added.

Accraexpat.com, a homosexual online site, provides information about Ghanaian homosexuals to expatriates who seek black partners for fun, as well as serious relationships. Just like a tour guide, the website gives detailed information on the homosexual landscape in Ghana.

Right from the ‘illegal’ nature of the act in the country to the various scams that some ‘hopefuls’ engage in to make quick money, the site presents expatriates all there is to know about the Ghanaian homosexual community.

“Our welcome must, however, come with a word of caution. South Africa is the only African country to recognise same-sex relationships and is the only nation on the continent where engaging in homosexual activity is not a crime. Therefore, in Ghana as in all other African countries, be very, very careful,” the site’s welcome statement said.

Other cautions intimated: “many of the men and boys you see on these sites are not even gay or bisexual. Some just pretend to be gay and will have sex for money. Others are just "online gay", that is, they will tell you hot sexy stories after which they will ask for your financial support (need a phone to call you, mother being sick, brother dead etc.). Once you arrive, they will vanish in thin air. The name and address they give are fake. Often the pictures are fake too. They copied it somewhere from the net.”

“But that is not even the worst form: The next category are the ones who will meet you and maybe even have sex with you - an act which will be interrupted by a "policeman" knocking on your hotel room door. Blackmail is for some a quicker way to get the cash they're after. Often the policeman is a fraud but sometimes even the police is actually involved. Corrupt policemen are just part of the extortion plot. If you don’t cough up the money, you will land in prison, plus the embarrassment of the story in the newspapers. After all, gay sex is considered illegal in Ghana under the "unnatural carnal knowledge" phrase”.

The site also has a detailed eighteen (18) point list of likely gay hangouts with particular days when gays socialise. Among such hangouts are Rhapsody’s at Accra Mall, Chester’s in Osu, Coconut Groove on ring road, Le Reeve in circle and University of Ghana, Legon.

The site also highlights certain locations in Accra which are tagged “no-go zones” for expatriates due to the “very dangerous” nature of such areas. One of such “very dangerous” areas in Accra is Christian village located in Achimota.

“Especially watch out for Christian Village (Achimota): this has really become a no-go zone. Very dangerous. Also see the fakers2go website on this” it warned.

With public debates on gay rights still raging on, activities of gay tourist sites adds to the woes of the country on its actual stance on homosexuality.