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Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, a hopeful contender for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer position, has shared his thoughts on the issue of LGBTQI+ rights in Ghana. He believes that criminalizing the act is not the appropriate solution.
Although Mr Agyapong identifies as a conservative and cites religious grounds for his opposition to the practice, he stated that he respects people's rights and does not support its promotion.
During an interview on Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana, he emphasized the importance of speaking out against it but noted that he is not in favour of annihilating the LGBTQI+ community.
“I’m very conservative, so although I respect people’s rights, I’m not going to advocate for that kind of behaviour, you understand. I think that we should not criminalize it, and we should not advocate it. It should not be in our faces,” he said.
“We should speak against it because when God created Adam, he did not create another Adam... He created Eve. So I think it’s important to know that all of us are products of women, and so sometimes I worry about that. But, I am not prepared to be part of the argument that says they should be annihilated from the face of the earth.”
He stressed that the nation faces pressing social issues such as drug addiction and other challenges, and it is crucial for leaders to set the right example for the youth.
Mr Agyapong acknowledged that the country should not condone such behaviour and called for leaders to advise and educate the public on the issue.
“We have major social issues in this country, and there are many others. We have drug menace and other things happening around the country, and of course, with social media and the explosion of the world now, it is incumbent on us as leaders of our country to advise, lead by example and set the right examples for our youth. This is not a behaviour that we can condone. It has to be condemned but it does not mean that when we find a homosexual, that person should be stoned.”
The proposed anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, known as the "Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill," seeks to legislate against homosexuality and related activities in Ghana, among other things. The bill was sponsored by private members and introduced into parliament in 2021.
