A group of Ghanaian journalists who call themselves ‘Journalists Against LGBTQ’ are asking President Nana Akufo-Addo to sign the now-passed anti-gay bill without ‘Western influence.’
Parliament on Wednesday gave its nod to the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill after months of deliberation.
While it’s worth noting that problematic issues had been raised about the legislation during those months of deliberation, sponsors of the bill in their defense claimed an “overwhelming number of MPs endorsed it.”
In a reaction to its passage on Wednesday, the journalists’ group led by Isaac Boamah-Darko said it believed the legislation would protect Ghana’s “moral fabric.”
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“Journalists Against LGBTQI+ Ghana urges President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to follow the example set by Parliament and swiftly assent to the bill without succumbing to any form of Western manipulation. We believe that this legislation is critical in safeguarding the moral fabric of our society and protecting our cherished values,” their statement said.
In interviews since 2021, the group’s leader has been vocal about their stance against the LGBTQ+ community in Ghana. In one of such interviews, Mr. Boamah-Darko expressly said his group has made it their mission to expose LGBTQ persons; many times inciting violence against members of the queer community.
But their actions do not come as a surprise, as it appears many of those working in Ghana’s broadcast media space have taken explicitly anti-gay positions.
