Homosexuality won’t be legalized under Akufo-Addo – Presidency

The government has rejected claims that President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo has approved same-sex marriages in Ghana.

According to a statement from the presidency, President Akufo-Addo’s will not legalise such relationship in Ghana.

“Indeed, the President remains focused on delivering on his mandate and improving the quality of lives of the Ghanaian people. It will NOT be under his Presidency that same-sex marriage will be legalised in Ghana,” the statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin added.

The statement was a response to some claims allegedly made by the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Asiedu Nketiah who reportedly told NDC members in Kumasi that “Nana Addo says men will marry men, and women will marry women.”

Mr. Nketiah reportedly claimed the NDC’s Unity Walk held in Kumasi today [Saturday].

But the statement from the presidency urged Ghanaians to disregard the claim since it is a “falsehood” peddled by the NDC General Secretary.

“We will rather appeal to Ghanaians to, once again, ignore the falsehoods of the NDC, and urge Mr Asiedu Nketiah to concentrate his energies on uniting his divided and discredited party,” the statement added.

Theresa May promises to help Commonwealth countries legalise gay

United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Theresa May, had earlier promised to help Commonwealth nations amend anti-gay laws she described as “outdated.”

She had also urged Commonwealth nations to legalise homosexuality since to her “nobody should face discrimination or persecution because of who they are or who they love”.

Ever since then, many renewed pressure on President Akufo-Addo to reject such policies and publicly declare his stands on the matter because he had earlier made some controversial remark on the issue.

Christian MPs fight the legalisation of gay rights in Ghana

Recently, Members of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship strongly condemned what they described as moves to force Ghana to legalise Homosexuality saying it is unacceptable to pressurise the government of Ghana to accept it as a human rights.

In a statement signed by its President, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, the Christian MPs strongly kicked against consideration of the idea.

Below is the full statement from the Presidency:

Re: President Akufo-Addo Has Approved Gay Marriage

The attention of the Office of the President has been drawn to comments made by the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, as reported by the online news outlet, The Pulse, to the effect that same-sex marriage has been approved by President Akufo-Addo.

Speaking at the NDC’s health/unity walk, on Saturday, 28th April 2018, in Kumasi, the NDC General Secretary is reported to have stated that “Nana Addo says men will marry men, and women will marry women.” This is nothing but a baseless and vile fabrication, by no less a person than the General Secretary of the leading opposition party in Ghana. For the avoidance of doubt, President Akufo-Addo has NEVER stated anywhere that, under his presidency, “men will marry men, and women will marry women”.

Indeed, the President remains focused on delivering on his mandate and improving on the quality of lives of the Ghanaian people. It will NOT be under his Presidency that same-sex marriage will be legalised in Ghana.

We will neither ask for an apology or retraction from the NDC General Secretary, who, obviously, is still stuck in the age of the politics of lies, deceit and propaganda, which was rejected decisively by discerning Ghanaians in the 2016 general elections.

We will rather appeal to Ghanaians to, once again, ignore the falsehoods of the NDC, and urge Mr Asiedu Nketiah to concentrate his energies on uniting his divided and discredited party.

Eugene Arhin

Director of Communications