Akoto Ampaw is among 18 rights defenders who are against the anti-LGBTQI+ bill
Prof Takyiwaa Manuh, a member of the pro-LBGTQI+ bloc, has revealed that some of the co-signatories of their memo presented to Parliament against the anti-LGBTQI+ Bill, are receiving death threats.
Speaking on the state boradcaster’s Sunday evening talkshow programme, Talking Point, she stressed that the 18-members who signed the memo were within their rights to do so and that they will not be threatened.
She cited the instance of two members who had been targets of such threats. The leader of the group, Akoto Ampaw, she disclosed had received an email threatening him with death while Prof Karikari had been threatened on radio.
“I would like to state from the outset that whiles we welcome debate, we insist that this debate should be civil. Just this evening, Mr. Akoto Ampaw who was the lead organizer of the memo received an email from a Dr. Gibson Tetteh captioned ‘gay lawyer,’ threatening death to him and the people who have signed the memo. Similarly, Prof. Kwame Karikari has also received death threats on radio,” she said.
She also cited how a Muslim group had gone as far as refer to pigs whiles speaking about Prof Audrey Gadzekpo during a recent press conference.
“I was also very disappointed as I listened to the press conference by COMOG, the Coalition of Muslim groups, to hear in one breathe, the spokesperson condemned Prof Audrey Gadzekpo who is a co-signatory and talked about pigs.
“With respect, pigs for Muslims is anathema. To hear somebody who has a reasoned objection and for us, we welcome all those reasoned objections but we insist that they should be held in a civil and respectful manner,” she added.
Ghana’s pro-gay collective
A group of 18 academicians and human rights defenders have voiced strong opposition to the bill before Parliament, which is seeking to extensively criminalize the activities of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, LGBTQ+.
The group submitted a memorandum to Parliament seeking that the bill be rejected because it was largely unconstitutional and infringed on basic human rights.
Members of Parliament behind the bill, led by Ningo Prampram MP Sam Nartey George, have rubbished the memorandum and asserted that the bill will be passed into law because it has the support of the wider Ghanaian populace.