Protesters in Ghana urge supreme court to approve anti-LGBTQ+ bill --[Reported by Umva mag]

Protesters have taken to the streets in Ghana to condemn what they call “sinful” homosexual activity and call for an anti-LGBTQ+ bill to be passed into law.

Hundreds of demonstrators marched through the capital Accra on Tuesday (8 October), led by a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress Party, Samuel Nartey George, who said that the supreme court had taken too long to decide the fate of an anti-homosexuality bill.

Approved by lawmakers in February, the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act would impose prison sentences of up to three years for those simply identifying as LGBTQ. Homosexual acts between men have been illegal in the West African nation since colonial times and are legally termed “unnatural carnal knowledge.”

President Nana Akufo-Addo vowed to step down after serving two terms following his decision to refuse to sign the bill into law, citing legal issues and its economic impact, which could cost the country billions in World Bank funding.

The protest, which condemned Akufo-Addo’s decision, began at 10am and lasted for three hours, according to local sources. Hundreds of protestors were seen marching towards the supreme court building.

Speaking to the press, George said that the court had taken too long to hear a legal challenge against the bill. “There is no indication of any schedule or actions to execute an early trial that will protect our rights as citizens to timely and efficient justice delivery,” he said.

“As a Ghanaian tax-payer, the chief justice should bear in mind that she works for the citizenry. She must give us a timeline and timetable and let us know when they are hearing the case. It’s about Ghana and not about [partisan politics]. It’s about morality and the importance of maintaining effective culture.”

At the end of the protest, a petition urging the court and chief justice Gertrude Torkornoo to begin proceedings was handed to officials.

Justice Frank Offei said: “The supreme court is ready to hear every matter where parties have complied with the rules directing the processes to be filed before a hearing is held.”

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