The Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, has said that the council does not have a position on the anti-gay bill that has been passed by Ghana’s parliament. He says they are mediators hence they do not take sides on this matter. ‘We don’t have a position on the passage of the anti-LGBTQ bill because we are mediators, we don’t take sides on issues like this,”
He further stated that the council is observing how things will unfold regarding the bill.
“There are several issues that have come to us that people expected to take sides but realized it was important to remain neutral when they later came for conflict resolution – “We are waiting to see how things will unfold so we know if to mediate/intervene in the event of a conflict,”
The passage of the bill has divided public opinion in Ghana and also raised concerns among the international community, especially the United States embassy in Accra.
A Leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Gabby Otchere-Darko urged persons who are opposed to the anti-gay bill to go to court and challenge its constitutionality. He says that it is the democratic right of the persons against the bill to seek redress in court. “Ghana’s parliament, in which is vested the sovereign will of the people, has democratically passed a harsher anti-LGBTQ Bill. Yes, democratically! In fact the threat of being unseated for standing for the rights of gays, etc, certainly created its own culture of silence in the House! But, it is the decision of Parliament and one which enjoys huge popular support in the country.
Sompaonline.com/Asante-Yeboah Benedict