Chiefs mount pressure on Akufo-Addo to sign Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

Some chiefs and queen mothers in the Eastern Region have made a passionate appeal to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to promptly give his assent to the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values (PHSGFV) bill, also known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

The traditional rulers who spoke in an interview with Onua TV during the 67th Independence celebration in Koforidua expressed gratitude to the Parliament of Ghana for passing the bill.

They have advocated for the preservation of Ghanaian cultural values and have thus implored President Akufo-Addo to promptly sign the bill into law.

The anti-LGBTQ+ bill was passed by Ghana’s Parliament on February 28, and now awaits the President’s final approval to become law.

The Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill seeks to introduce wide-ranging restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights.

It imposes a prison sentence of up to three years on anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ+.

Mmawerehene of Koforidua Asokore, Nana Odame Buadu insisted that non-binary and pansexual activities are abominable and should not be entertained in Ghana.

He urged President Akufo-Addo to promptly sign the bill to protect Ghana’s culture and to shame his critics.

Spokesperson for Eastern Regional Council of Muslim chiefs, Alhaji Mohammed Nurudeen, on the other hand dispelled the assertion that Ghana would suffer financial aid from the Western world if President Akufo-Addo signs the bill into law.

He accordingly challenged President Akufo-Addo to look beyond financial aid from the international bodies and assent to the bill to help protect Ghanaian values as well as promoting proper human sexual rights in the country.

New Dwaben Benkumhemaa, Nana Ama Wiam II equally appealed to President Akufo-Addo to give his approval to the anti- LGBTQ+ bill to criminalize the activities of Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.

She maintained that non-binary and pansexual is not part of Ghana’s culture and it should not be entertained to pollute the good human values of Ghana.