In Ghana, the LGBTQ Plus community is nervously awaiting a
court ruling.
A country where gay sex is already punishable.
The lawmakers are urging for harsher restrictions.
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Members of Ghana's LGBT community said they're living in more
fear than ever.
They're waiting to see whether the West African countries president
will sign into law a bill that would further restrict
their rights.
Gay sex is already punishable by up to three years
in prison.
The new law would also impose a prison sentence of
up to five years for the promotion or support of
LGBT rights,
making it one of the harshest of its kind in
Africa.
Kwame already bears the scars of Ghana's widespread intolerance of
a homosexuality.
In 2021, the 30 year old was attacked by neighbours
over his sexuality,
which left him partially blind.
You can understand how this bill is just going to
be.
This is just the beginning.
Kwame and his partner, who live apart for safety reasons,
believe their best option would be to leave Ghana before
the law comes into effect.
To be honest, I don't think there is any future
in this Ghana
when it comes to
you understand there is no future for you because I
I think,
like they just want to end everything.
Homophobia is rife in culturally conservative Ghana.
Hostility and attacks are commonplace,
or the few such incidents make it to the courts.
In February, Parliament unanimously passed the bill,
but President Nana Akuffo ADO has delayed signing it with
his office,
citing 2 impending Supreme Court challenges.
Ghana is also in the grip of an economic crisis
and its finance ministry has warned
that the bill could jeopardize
$3.8 billion of World Bank funding
and derail a $3 billion
International Monetary Fund loan package.
But Sheikh AMI Yahwah Shibu,
spokesperson for Ghana's chief Imam,
said it would be wrong for the West to restrict
aid
on behalf of RGBT people.
So Islam sees as I mean treated as abominable,
is reprehensible, is detestable, is is prohibited in our way,
is Haram, is prohibited in something that is sinful,
among all other sexual immoralities that one one can practice
to attract the wrath of God.
On Thursday, the High Court in Accra is due to
rule on a
lawmaker's petition to compel AKUFO ado to act on the
law within seven days.
Human Rights Watch has urged AKUFO Ado to veto the
law and warned it could lead to further gratuitous violence
against LGBT people and their allies.
The uncertainty of what happened next is weighing on those
who worry about the law's broader social impact.
Emmanuel Owusu Bonsu is an LGBT rights activist.
It's almost like everybody in Ghana has just been given
is about to be given a gun.
That's how I see it.
Like everybody in Ghana is about to be given a
gun and can point it at anyone and just say
gay,
gay, gay, gay, gay, and
they'll be taking you away.
So it's very scary.
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