Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Armiyawo Shiabu, has expressed concerns over President’s inability to unequivocally condemn LGBTQ activities in Ghana during a joint presser with US Vice President Kamala Harris.
On Monday, President Akufo-Addo stated that there is no LGBTQ legislation in Ghana yet, as the bill is currently before Parliament.
“The legislation is a legislation that is being proposed as a Private Members Bill. This is not an official legislation of the government but it is one that is being mooted by a handful of private members,” the President said.
According to Sheikh Armiyawo Shiabu, “the President was over cautions in trying to talk about it as if not wanting to offend a certain force that is coming from somewhere.”
He noted that this so “because I have heard the president speak fought rightly with strong tone about certain things like some of his encounter with Macron.”
For him, the president missed the opportunity to tell the world the stance of the majority of Ghana over the issue of LGBTQ.
“He has not been that spot right in indicating his personal position and a certain feeling about how in our national mindset as somebody who is also a man of faith coming up clearly on the note of even Christian revulsion action to say no this thing is not something that I will ever support and I think we should have heard something like this from him.”
He continued that “I was expecting that even on this particular case with is at the very core of the survival of the family system in both Christianity and Islam and Traditional I would have expected him to come up stronger and more definite on the issue.”
On the other hand, he lauded the Speaker of Parliament for maintaining his promise to the Chief Imam by asserting that he will see to the passing of the bill.
“I am very comfortable with the tone of the speaker and I support and commend him for that.
“I go strongly with the speaker since he has remained consistent with the tone with which he has spoken against this LGBTQ and also speaking in support of the passing of this anti-LGBTQ bill,” he said on JoyNews.
The spokesperson added that the push for the passage of the bill was not from that of human rights activists but that of a religious leader who had the mandate to ensure the continuity of the legacy of the family system.
“The issue we are dealing with is from the faith community level and as a nation, we are not doing it from a human rights angle but viewing it as something that undermines the very survival of the family.
“It is not so much of a human rights issue. The damage it does to the family and once you want to destroy a community you begin destroying the family and you succeed. That’s how God made it,” he added.
According to Speaker Alban Bagbin, it is undemocratic for the US to intervene in Ghana’s national issues.