British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has told President Akufo-Addo and other African Leaders that persecuting homosexuals and lesbians based on their sexual orientation is wrong.
Theresa May made this assertion when she met the African leaders at the ongoing Commonwealth Heads Of Government meeting in London.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting 2018 also known as CHOG 2018 is the current 25th meeting of heads of government of the commonwealth nations.
The theme for this year’s summit is “Towards A Common Future”.
Ms May said her country is ready to help African countries to reform theirs laws to favour and accommodate the interests of homosexuals.
While recognizing the attempts member countries are making to enhance the conditions of homosexuals, she noted that “Yet there remains much to do…Nobody should face discrimination and persecution because of who they are or who they love. The UK stands ready to support any Commonwealth nation wanting to reform outdated legislation that makes such discrimination possible.”
This comes as a reinforcement to the call the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tove Degnbol, made to Ghanaians where he said Ghanaians should respect homosexuals and lesbians.
Contrary to the desires of Degnbol and May, Ghana may not adhere to these calls anytime soon based of the submission of the president during an interview on Al Jazeera with Jane Dutton.
When asked why Ghana’s law still criminalizes Homosexuality, Nana Akuffo-Addo said:
“This is the socio-cultural issue if you like,” adding: “I don’t believe that in Ghana, so far, a sufficiently strong coalition has emerged which is having that impact on public opinion that will say: ‘Change it (the law), let’s then have a new paradigm in Ghana”
However, Nana Addo said, “I think that it is something that is bound to happen”
The interviewer then asked:
“What’s going to provoke it, what’s going to make it happen?”
The President said:
“Oh, like elsewhere in the world, the activities of individuals (and) groups.”
Recalling how countries such as England which loathed homosexuality in the past over the years capitulated to persuasion to revise their laws to accommodate same-sex relationship by LGBTQI lobbyists.
“I grew up in England; I went to school as a young boy in England and I grew up at a time in England when homosexuality was banned there, it was illegal and I lived in the period when British politicians thought it was anathema to think about changing the law and suddenly the activities of individuals, of groups, a certain awareness, a certain development grew and grew and grew stronger and it forced a change in law. I believe those are the same processes that will bring about changes in our situation”.
He however pointed that:
“At the moment, I don’t feel and I don’t see that in Ghana, there is that strong current of opinion that will say: ‘This is something that we need even deal with’. It’s not, so far, a matter which is on the agenda.”
Ghanaians are very strongly opposed to the legalization of Homosexuality or any form of amendments of the laws of Ghana to accommodate same-sex relationship.
By: Susan Amoako Agyemang
