Ahead Of 2024 General Election: Ghanaian Traditional Priests Mount Pressure On Bawumia To Declare His Stand On LGBTQ+

A group of traditional priests in Ghana calling itself as United Fetish Priests Association has given seven months ultimatum to the Vice President who doubles as a flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Alhaji Mahamud Bawumia to declare his position on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) before October or forget their slogan "Breaking The 8."

Addressing a crowded press conference after the Ghana passes bill making identifying as LGBTQ+ illegal, the President of Association, Nana Mosi Bansere stressed there's no way Dr Bawumia and his NPP can break the 8 if he fails to declare his position (LGBTQ+)before October.

 According to him, most Ghanaians including Chiefs, Imams, Pastors, religious groups will not back him to win the election if he fails to declare his position on LGBTQ+

"Christians, Muslims, Ancestral spirit, River gods, Dwarfs among other spirits in Ghana are annoyed over the delayed assent to the bill by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addoo but Dr Bawumia''s silence on the LGBTQ+ is even worst as gods from his hometown will not back him if he fails to declare his stand on
LGBTQ+.So he should do so before October else NPP should forget breaking the 8"

He applauded the MPs for unanimously passing the bill into the law.

"Our Association is not into politics but will not seat unconcern for Ghana to be taken over by the LGBTQ+ community and vow they will protect Ghana's Tradition and Culture," he explained.

Ghana passes bill making identifying as LGBTQ+ illegal

Ghana's parliament has passed a tough new bill that imposes a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ+.

It also imposes a maximum five-year jail term for forming or funding LGBTQ+ groups.

Lawmakers heckled down attempts to replace prison sentences with community service and counselling.

It is the latest sign of growing opposition to LGBTQ+ rights in the conservative West African nation.

The bill, which had the backing of Ghana's two major political parties, will come into effect only if President Nana Akufo-Addo signs it into law.

He previously said that he would do so if the majority of Ghanaians want him to.

Gay sex is already against the law in Ghana - it carries a three-year prison sentence.

Last month Amnesty International warned that the bill "poses significant threats to the fundamental rights and freedoms" of LGBTQ+ people.

Activists fear there will now be witch-hunts against members of the LGBTQ+ community and those who campaign for their rights, and say some will have to go into hiding.

This was echoed by the head of the UN body tackling Aids, Winnie Byanyima, who said: "If Human Sexual rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill becomes a law, it will exacerbate fear and hatred, could incite violence against fellow Ghanaian citizens, and will negatively impact on free speech, freedom of movement and freedom of association."

She added that it would "obstruct access to life-saving services" and "jeopardise Ghana's development success".

The bill proposes a jail term of up to 10 years for anyone involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy campaigns aimed at children

It also encourages the public to report members of the LGBTQ+ community to authorities for "necessary action".

MPs said the bill was drafted in response to the opening of Ghana's first LGBTQ+ community centre in the capital, Accra, in January 2021.

Police shut the centre following public protests, and pressure from religious bodies and traditional leaders in the largely Christian nation.

At the time, the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council said in a joint statement that being LGBTQ+ was "alien to the Ghanaian culture and family value system and, as such, the citizens of this nation cannot accept it".

The bill approved by lawmakers is a watered-down version of an earlier draft - for instance, jail terms have been shortened and a controversial clause on conversion therapy has been removed.

During the days-long debate, the deputy parliamentary leader of the governing party, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, suggested further changes.

He said lawmakers should decide, via a secret ballot, whether people convicted of being members of the LGBTQ+ community should be imprisoned by the courts or ordered to do community service and undergo counselling.

However, he was heckled into submission by lawmakers who supported prison sentences