By Melanie Nathan, December 29, 2024.
Ghana Updates as The Family Values Bill Pends Attestation by President
It’s Not Too Late to Sign': Rev. Lawrence Tetteh Urges Akufo-Addo to Cement Legacy with Anti-LGBTQ Bill, Says Some Pastors Were Silent Fearing Visa Bans from USA and UK
Rev. Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, Founder and President of Worldwide Miracle Outreach, has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sign the controversial 'Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024' into law before leaving office.
Speaking on GHOne TV's 'GHToday' on Monday, December 30, 2024, Rev. Tetteh emphasized that such an act would cement the President's legacy and earn him widespread admiration among Ghanaians.
He described the recently dismissed Supreme Court cases against the bill as a distraction and claimed that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost the 2024 election because the government failed to take a strong stance in favor of the anti-LGBTQ bill. According to him, for the first time, every stakeholder in Ghana, the Christians, Muslims, atheists, and traditional rulers—were all united against LGBTQ, but the government failed to support the Bill fully by not immediately attesting to it and allowing the Court cases to be a distraction.
Rev. Tetteh also revealed that he was part of a nine-member committee comprising Christian and Muslim leaders that met with the President to urge him to assent to the bill.
He criticized some pastors in Ghana for avoiding public opposition to LGBTQ rights out of fear of facing visa bans or travel restrictions from countries that protect LGBTQ+ rights, particularly Western nations. However, as a dual citizen with British nationality, Rev. Dr. Tetteh stated he was unafraid to voice his anti-LGBTQ+ views.
"It is not too late," he urged, emphasizing that the President Akufo-Addo should act decisively to address this contentious issue and leave a lasting impact on Ghana's cultural and moral landscape.
The fact that Rev Tetteh blames LGBTQI+ people for the loss of the election for the The New Patriotic Party, a centre-right and liberal-conservative incumbent political party in Ghana, only adds to the already existing dangers for LGBTQI+ Ghanaians as yet again they are scapegoated in their use as political tools. Over 90% of people in Ghana say they would not like to have a homosexual as a neighbor and favor harsh anti Homosexuality legislation. The New Family value Bill will likely be signed. by the new President who takes office in just over a week. The law will criminalize and provides prisons terms for LGBTQI+ people simply for identifying as LGBTTQAAP. It also contains an Extradition clause making all people who identify as LGBTQ effectively fugitives under Ghanaian law.
HERE IS THE VIDEO:
Comments