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Ghana's opposition leader condemns LGBTQ practices

LGBTQ rights are a heated issue in Ghana.

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by JAMES MBAKA

News01 February 2024 - 17:08
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In Summary


  • Gay sex is already against the law and carries a three-year prison sentence.
  • Mr Mahama served as Ghana's president between 2012 and 2017 but lost in his bid for a second term to current President Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2016 elections.
Ghana's lawmakers are considering an anti-LGBTQ bill that will impose tougher restrictions if passed

Ghana's former president and leading opposition figure John Dramani Mahama has opposed LGBTQ practices, saying they contradict his Christian faith.

"The faith I have will not allow me to accept a man marrying a man, and a woman marrying a woman," Mr Mahama was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

"I don't believe that anybody can get up and say I feel like a man although I was born a woman and so I will change and become a man," he added, speaking to a group of Ghanaian religious leaders on Wednesday.

LGBTQ rights are a heated issue in Ghana.

The parliament of the West African country is currently considering a controversial anti-LGBTQ bill, which will impose tough penalties on members of the LGBTQ community if passed.

The bill forbids Ghanaians from identifying as LGBTQ and increases the sentence for same-sex activities from a maximum of three years to a maximum of five years.

The bill also bans the support of LGBTQ rights.

Gay sex is already against the law and carries a three-year prison sentence.

Mr Mahama served as Ghana's president between 2012 and 2017 but lost in his bid for a second term to current President Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2016 elections.

The 65-year-old is again seeking re-election in the December presidential elections, under the main opposition party National Democratic Congress.

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