By Nurat Uthman
Ghana’s vice president and ruling party presidential candidate, Mahamudu Bawumia, on Thursday took a resolute stance against LGBTQ+ practices, asserting his opposition based on religious convictions with “no shades of gray.”
Homosexuality has emerged as a highly charged political issue in Ghana, intensifying since parliament passed a law criminalizing all LGBTQ+ acts in February.
With elections scheduled for December to choose President Nana Akufo-Addo’s successor, the issue of gay rights has increasingly come into the spotlight.
Addressing thousands of Muslims in Ghana’s second biggest city Kumasi on Thursday during prayers for the Eid al-Fitr celebrations at the end of Ramadan, Bawumia made his first public commentary on the contentious issue.
“On the issue of LGBTQ… it is important to note that our cultural and societal norms and values as Ghanaians frown on the practice of homosexuality.”
“Furthermore, as a Muslim, my view on this matter aligns with the position of my religious faith. My faith is therefore very strictly against the practice of homosexuality, no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’. No shades of gray.”
Bawumia is the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate for the December presidential election.
The vice president said all major religious traditions in Ghana are against LGBTQ practices, asserting his commitment to oppose them, both presently and in his potential role as president.
Widely criticized internationally for its impact on human rights, the “Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values” bill seeks to criminalize gay relationships and LGBTQ advocacy.
Despite support from religious leaders, the presidency has urged parliament to withhold final approval of the bill until legal challenges against it are resolved.
In what appears to be a retaliatory move, the speaker of parliament blocked the approval of new ministers, citing an injunction served by an opposition lawmaker.
The bill would impose a jail term of up to three years for anyone identifying as LGBTQ+ and five years for promoting and sponsoring their activities.
It had the backing of a majority of MPs and influential Christian and Muslim leaders.
But Ghana’s development partners have warned of the consequences if Akufo-Addo signs the bill, with the finance ministry pointing to the risk of a potential loss of World Bank funding amounting to $3.8bn over the next five to six years.
The major gold and cocoa exporter is under a $3bn International Monetary Fund, IMF, program having faced its worst economic downturn in 2022 resulting in inflation hitting a record 50 percent.
