LGBTQI+: Ghanaian Culture Shouldn’t Surrender to LGBTQ Influences – Murtala

Tamale Central Lawmaker, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed has said Ghana cannot copy the lifestyle of other countries with respect to homosexuality.

He said the British or Americans have their values and way of life which is different from Ghanaians.

Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, July 8, in relation to the anti-gay Bill, he said “The British and Americans have their way of life. It doesn’t mean we should copy and adopt their way of life. We must not surrender to this LGBTQ).

Parliament debated on the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee report on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill popularly known as the anti-gay bill, on Wednesday.

First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu (Joewise) said that Ghanaians should not accept that the cultures of other countries are superior to those of Ghana.

He indicated that Ghana cannot just accept to copy blindly what other countries are practicing.

The Bekwai lawmaker said, “We should never accept that other cultures are superior to ours such that they must insist and demand that we copy the things they do even if it is inconsistent with the way we live our lives and how we want our country to be run.”

Member of Parliament for Okere, Dan Botwe, also indicated that beyond passing the bill, there will be the need to find ways to fight the propagation of the practice of homosexuality.

“Beyond passing the bill, let us exercise internal vigilance,” he said during the parliamentary debate.

Mr Dan Botwe further explained that a time may come when children will go to shops to buy items with colors of homosexuals will be on those items. To that end, he said, vigilance is required by all stakeholders aside passage of the bill to prevent the propagation of homosexuality.

He further described homosexuality as “total madness” and “a satanic force.” “Let us not underestimate this satanic force,” he stressed.

The report highlighted concerns raised by proponents and those who are against the bill.

The opposers of the bill, per the report, contend that “LGBTQ+ activities form part of what the Constitution contemplates under Article 33 (5) about recognition of cerian rights and freedoms that are considered to be inherent in a democracy and which is intended to secure the rights and freedoms and dignity of the people.

“Consequently, any attempt to prescribe different treatment to different people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender will be discriminatory and an affront to Article (17) 1 and (2) of the Constitution.”