Former Member of Parliament(MP) for Ayensuano constituency, Samuel Ayeh-Paye has asked critics rebuking President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for not being direct and outspoken against the LGBTQ+ community to leave him alone.
According to him, the President exercised what he termed as "home wisdom" during his meeting with the Vice President of United States, Kamala Harris when he was asked to state his position on the homosexual community.
President Nana Akufo-Addo, speaking about the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill during a joint press conference with the US Vice President, said; “The bill is going through the parliament. The attorney general has found it necessary to speak to the committee (the constitutional and legal committee of parliament) about it regarding the constitutionality … of several of its provisions. The parliament is dealing with it. At the end of the process, I will come in.”
“My understanding … is that substantial elements of the bill have already been modified as a result of the intervention of the Attorney General”, he added.
To critics, the President's failure to be straight with the US Veep indicates he has a soft spot for the LGBTQ community and may succumb to the pressure to legalize their practices.
Many people fear the President might have doubled down on the anti-LGBTQ bill before Parliament.
But to Samuel Ayeh-Paye, the President did the right thing by not revealing his position before the US Vice President regarding this controversial issue.
Describing the United States as "superpowers", Mr. Ayeh-Paye noted that Ghana is in need of their financial support, hence it wasn't the best time and platform for the President to condemn LGBTQ+ in front of the one person who has some solutions to Ghana's economic problems.
"If it were I, I would do the same thing...I wouldn't take that decision in front of that woman. I will wait till I get what I want. This woman came to donate some 100 million dollars to some West African countries to fight terrorism. So, if I collect the money and we defeat terrorism to have peace in my country. Afterwards Parliament makes a legislation (against homosexuality) and then I assent to it, can the woman come back for her money? No, she can't", he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.
He also noted that the President's public condemnation of homosexual acts or he revealing his support for the anti-gay bill doesn't suffice to end homosexuality in the country.
"Former President Kufour spoke against it publicly. Did it stop? Professor Atta Mills hated even the name; he condemned it. Did it stop? No! Professor Mike Oquaye, when he was Speaker, also condemned it. Did it stop? No! Former President Mahama has also spoken publicly against it although he was associated with a person who was gay but it didn't stop. The current Speaker of Parliament has also repudiated this gay issue but it still hasn't stopped. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stood at Methodist church and told them that legislation of LGBTQ+ won't happen under his administration while he is President. In spite of all this, it hasn't stopped", he emphasized.
He however called on the religious bodies to help to discourage homosexuality in Ghana.
"Let us fight them from the churches, the mosques, our religious background."
