Ghanaian anti-LGBT bill

Last updated

Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill
Coat of arms of Ghana.svg
Parliament of Ghana
  • A Bill to provide for human sexual rights and family values and for related matters
Territorial extent Ghana
Legislative history
Committee responsibleLegal and Parliamentary Affairs
First reading 2 August 2021
Considered by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs CommitteeMarch 2023
Second reading 5 July 2023
Third reading 28 February 2024
Status: Pending assent

The Ghanaian anti-LGBT bill (formally the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill) is a proposed law in Ghana that would introduce wide-ranging restrictions on LGBT+ rights. [1] [2] The bill was approved by the Parliament of Ghana on 28 February 2024 with bipartisan support and will only come into effect if signed into law by President Nana Akufo-Addo. [3]

Contents

Background

Homosexuality in Ghana was first criminalised under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, a law introduced during British rule. The Act was implemented in all British colonies. [4] Following independence, Section 104 of the Ghanaian Criminal Code of 1960 criminalised "unnatural carnal knowledge." [5]

Summary

The long title of the draft law is "A Bill to provide for human sexual rights and family values and related matters." [6]

Among the provisions of the most recent version[ when? ] of the bill are:

Legislative history

First reading

In mid-June 2021, Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana Alban Bagbin stated that LGBT+ rights "should not be encouraged or accepted by our society" and that "urgent actions are being taken to pass a law to eventually nip the activities of [LGBT+] groups in the bud." [9] Later that month, eight MPs in the Parliament proposed the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021. [10] The eight MPs were Sam Nartey George, Della Sowah, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, Alhassan Suhuyini, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Helen Ntoso, and Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, all of the National Democratic Congress, as well as John Ntim Fordjour of the New Patriotic Party. [7] On 1 July, Alban Bagbin stated that he expected the law to be passed within six months, telling a prayer meeting of Ghanaian MPs that "the LGBT+ pandemic is worse than COVID-19." [11]

On 2 August 2021, the bill passed its first reading in the Ghanaian Parliament, being referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. [12]

Committee hearings

On 13 October 2021, the majority leader in Parliament Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu said that the Parliament would ensure "careful balance" in assessing the bill.

On 5 November 2021, deputy majority leader Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin announced that the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee would begin hearing petitions in a week, estimating that "we are looking at 15 weeks for the hearings to be done." [13]

On 12 November 2021, public hearings began on the bill in the Parliament of Ghana. [14] On the first day of hearings, Henry Kwasi Prempeh of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development spoke against the bill, saying that "merely because you see yourself as part of a momentary majority, does not entitle you to impose your will on even one individual in the society." Kyeremeh Atuahene of the Ghana AIDS Commission said that the bill risked criminalising anti-HIV/AIDS efforts in the country, and also pushing back against donor funding. [15] [16]

On 30 November 2021, Akwasi Osei of the Mental Health Authority Ghana spoke in support of the bill, saying that homosexuality was abnormal and that a majority of LGBT+ people in Ghana claimed to be queer because of peer pressure. [17] That day, Commissioner of Human Rights and Administrative Justice of Ghana Joseph Whittal told the Parliament to "be careful on the bill." saying that Commission was neither for nor against the bill but that the bill risked putting advocates for human rights in danger of criminal prosecution. [18] [19]

On 6 December 2021, Moses Foh-Amoaning of the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values spoke in support of the bill, saying LGBT+ people were "not well, and the law gives [health authorities] the power to restrain such people." [20]

Second reading

On 5 July 2023, the Parliament of Ghana unanimously voted to grant the Bill a second reading, and agreed to minor amendments proposed by the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee. [21] [22] [23] [24]

Third reading

On 28 February 2024, the Parliament voted unanimously to pass the law. The version that passed included shorter jail terms than an earlier version and a clause on conversion therapy was omitted. An attempt by Alexander Afenyo-Markin to amend the law to replace prison sentences with counselling and community service was heckled down by lawmakers. The bill will come into effect if President Nana Akufo-Addo signs it into law. [25] [26]

On 29 April 2024, a High Court in Accra dismissed a call to push President Nana Akufo-Addo to assent to the bill passed by parliament. Akufo-Addo had mentioned he would wait for the verdict of two Supreme Court cases challenging the constitutionality of the bill before making a decision. [27] [28]

Supreme Court challenges

On 8 May 2024, the Supreme Court of Ghana began proceedings for the case filed by a Ghanaian journalist, Richard Sky, against the bill. Presided by the Chief Justice, the proceedings ended with the lawyers of the journalist asked to submit a fresh motion to amend their reliefs. The case adjourned to 17 May 2024. [29] [30] [31] [32]

A separate challenge was filed by the lawyer Amanda Odoi. [33]

On December 18, 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed both cases. [33]

Reception

Domestic reactions

Ghanaian human rights NGO Rightify Ghana called the bill "an attack on our fundamental human rights" stating that it would "steal our freedoms of speech and expression, right to privacy, freedoms of association and assembly, as well as rights to healthcare, employment, housing and others." [11] The Humanist Association of Ghana called the bill an attempt "to further oppress the LGBTQI+ community as well as allies," stating that Ghana's international reputation "has taken a big hit." [34] Journalist Nana Ama Agyemang Asante said that she was "stunned by the contents, the crudeness of the language, and the cruelty behind [the bill]." [35] On 4 October, 17 prominent Ghanaians co-signed a statement against the bill. [36]

On 24 October 2021, Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo called for civil discussion on the bill, stating that "we will recognise the need for us to be tolerant of each other when there are opposing views. I think it will be a credit to Ghananian democracy if this matter is handled in the correct manner." [37] On 28 October, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, chairman of the National Media Commission, stated that "sometimes sentiments are more than rationalism in the way that the debate goes" in reference to the bill. [38]

Among Ghanaian political parties, the New Patriotic Party, [39] the People's National Convention, [40] the National Democratic Congress, the Convention People's Party, the National Democratic Party, and the All People's Congress announced support for bill. The Liberal Party of Ghana announced opposition to the bill. [41]

Osagyefo Agyeman Badu II, President of Bono Regional House of Chiefs, stated that "chiefs in this country are strongly behind [the bill]" and threatened to "storm parliament with 10 000 people" if the bill was not passed. [42]

Bishop of Asante Mampong and Archbishop for the Church of the Province of West Africa Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith said that the Anglican Church in Ghana would "do anything within our powers and mandate to ensure that the bill comes into fruition" and that the church considered "LGBT+ as unrighteousness in the sight of God." [43]

On 5 October 2021, the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council released a joint statement supporting the bill, saying that being LGBT+ was "alien to the Ghanaian culture and family value system, and as such, the citizens of this nation cannot accept it." [44] Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, spokesperson for the Chief Imam of Ghana, said that "this is the time to make the laws more stringent because of the force with which those activities are being promoted in our country" and saying that MPs supporting the bill "must never give up." [45] The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, and the Coalition of Muslim Organisations, Ghana also announced support for the bill. [46]

In June 2022, after reactions by proponents of the bill, billboards in Accra and Tamale were pulled down for illegally promoting LGBTQ activities. [47] [48] Sam George, one of the proponents of the bill, called the erection of the billboards an action against the constitution of Ghana. [49] [50]

On 12 December 2023 the Ghana Catholic Bishop Conference reiterated its support for the bill, calling it "a step in the right direction". [51]

Ghana's finance ministry headed by Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Bank of Ghana (BOG) and the Ghana Revenue Authority [52] has cautioned the president against endorsing a contentious anti-LGBT bill recently approved by parliament. The ministry has highlighted the potential risk, estimating that the country will forfeit a substantial $3.8 billion (£3 billion) in World Bank funding within the upcoming five to six years if the bill becomes law. The proposed legislation mandates a three-year prison sentence for individuals identifying as LGBT+ and a five-year imprisonment for those involved in promoting LGBT+ activities. [53]

Ghana is currently grappling with a significant economic downturn and received assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) just last year. There are apprehensions that any deficiency in funding from the World Bank and other donors could disrupt the ongoing economic recovery efforts. [53]

Samia Yaba Nkrumah, the former Member of Parliament for Jomoro, has urged President Akufo-Addo to refrain from giving assent to the Bill. She characterized the bill as a brutal, harsh, and unjust piece of legislation. [54]

On 12 March 2024, Ghana's former president and opposition leader John Dramani Mahama alleged that Akufo-Addo delayed signing the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill over foreign aid dependency. [55]

In August 2024, Ghana’s vice president Mahamudu Bawumia said that he would sign the bill into law if he became president, if the Supreme Court decided that the bill is “consistent with the Constitution.” Mahamdu is currently seeking to become Ghana’s president in the 2024 Ghanaian general election. [56]

International reactions

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that "adopting the legislation in its current or any partial form would be tantamount to a violation of a number of human rights standards, including the absolute prohibition of torture." [57]

Human Rights Watch LGBT+ director Graeme Reid said the bill was "so onerous it beggars belief" and that it "represents a witch-hunt against LGBT people in Ghana." [58] [59] Amnesty International called for the Ghanaian Parliament to "immediately withdraw" the bill, saying that it "gravely contravenes the principles of equality and non-discrimination, the rights to freedom of expression, association and privacy, and the prohibition of torture enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and international human rights treaties ratified by the country." [60]

Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town Desmond Tutu compared the bill to apartheid, saying "I'm absolutely, utterly and completely certain that God wouldn't be homophobic." [61] Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell and Bishop of London Sarah Mullally condemned the bill. [62] Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby initially said he was "gravely concerned" by the bill, however later apologised for the statement, saying that he had "no authority over the Church of Ghana, nor would I want any." [63]

The bill has been linked by several commentators to the World Congress of Families, an American conservative Christian organisation designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as anti-LGBT hate group. In 2019, the WCF had held a conference in Accra, where delegates had proposed forming legal teams to bring constitutional attacks on LGBT+ rights in Ghana. [64] [65] [66]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Ghana</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people in Ghana face severe challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Sexual acts between males have been illegal as "unnatural carnal knowledge" in Ghana since the colonial era. The majority of Ghana's population hold anti-LGBTQ sentiments. Physical and violent homophobic attacks against LGBTQ people occur, and are often encouraged by the media and religious and political leaders. At times, government officials, such as police, engage in such acts of violence. Young gay people are known to be disowned by their families and communities and evicted from their homes. Families often seek conversion therapy from religious groups when same-sex orientation or non-conforming gender identity is disclosed; such "therapy" is reported to be commonly administered in abusive and inhumane settings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Mike Oquaye</span> Ghanaian politician, lawyer and academic (born 1944)

Aaron Mike Oquaye is a Ghanaian barrister and politician who served as the sixth Speaker of Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana from 2017 to 2021. An academic, diplomat and Baptist minister, he previously held the cabinet ministerial portfolios for energy and communication and was also the High Commissioner of Ghana to India (2002–04) in the Kufuor administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nana Akufo-Addo</span> President of Ghana since 2017

William Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is a Ghanaian politician who has served as the 13th president of Ghana since 2017. He previously served as Attorney General from 2001 to 2003 and as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2007 under the administration of then-president John Kufuor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme Court of Ghana</span> Highest judicial body in Ghana

The Supreme Court of Ghana is the highest judicial body in Ghana. Ghana's 1992 constitution guarantees the independence and separation of the Judiciary from the Legislative and the Executive arms of government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ursula Owusu</span> Ghanaian lawyer and politician

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is a Ghanaian lawyer, women's rights activist, and a politician who has been actively involved in politics and public service. She is the former member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency in the Greater Accra Region. She is currently the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Nartey George</span> Ghanaian politician (born 1985)

Samuel Nartey George is a Ghanaian politician and agricultural engineer. He is a member of the National Democratic Congress. He defeated the incumbent E. T. Mensah to represent the party in the 2016 parliamentary elections for Ningo-Prampram Constituency. He is a member of the eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, representing Ningo-Prampram constituency. He is from Ahwiam, Old Ningo.

Kwasi Anin-Yeboah is a Ghanaian judge and a former Chief Justice of Ghana. In December 2019, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo nominated Justice Anin-Yeboah as the Chief Justice of Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Abu Jinapor</span> Ghanaian lawyer and politician

Samuel Abu Jinapor, is a Ghanaian lawyer and a politician. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party and the Member of Parliament for the Damongo Constituency. In 2017, President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo appointed him as Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations at the Office of the President, at the age of 33, the youngest in the history of Ghana to occupy such a position. He is currently the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Quartey</span> Ghanaian politician

Henry Quartey is a Ghanaian politician and member of the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana representing the Ayawaso Central Constituency in the Greater Accra Region on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party. He served as the Minister for Greater Accra Region. On 14th February 2024, he was approved as the minister of the interior of Ghana replacing Ambrose Dery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mustapha Ussif</span> Ghanaian politician

Mustapha Ussif is a Ghanaian politician. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party and a member of the 8th parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana representing the Yagaba-Kubori Constituency in the North East Region of Ghana. On 21 January 2021, he was nominated by Nana Akufo-Addo to serve as Minister of Youth and Sports.

LGBT+ Rights Ghana is a Ghanaian organization that advocates for LGBT rights in Ghana. The organization has engaged in some forms of activism including creating the Ghana Gay Blackmail List to combat the blackmail and extortion of gay men. In 2021, the organization opened its office in Accra which led to public outrage and opposition from anti-LGBT organizations in Ghana. LGBT+ Rights Ghana's Executive Director is Alex Kofi Donkor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Godfred Yeboah Dame</span> Ghanaian lawyer and politician

Godfred Yeboah Dame is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party. He was previously the deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice. He is currently the Attorney General.

On 20 May 2021, 21 LGBT rights activists in Ghana were arrested at a hotel in Ho, Ho Municipal District, during an assembly where the activists were discussing human rights treatment of LGBT+ people in the country. The arrests sparked international condemnation and the rise of a movement under the banner #ReleaseThe21 calling for their release and an end to state violence against the Ghanaian LGBT+ community. In the most recent court hearing, on 11 June 2021, the activists were granted bail on their fourth application. The case was dropped on 5 August 2021 on the basis of lack of evidence on the charge of unlawful assembly.

Rightify Ghana is a Ghanaian organization that advocates for LGBT rights in Ghana. Rightify Ghana was established in February 2020 as a non-profit organization to advocate for the rights of LGBT+ Ghanaians.

Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu is a Ghanaian judge. He is an active Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana. He has been on the bench in Ghana since 1996 and became a Supreme Court judge in 2022.

Anthony Akoto Ampaw, also known as Sheey Sheey, was a Ghanaian lawyer and human rights activist. He was the head of the legal team defending President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's win in the 2020 Presidential elections at the Supreme Court of Ghana.

Events in the year 2024 in Ghana.

Anthony Henry Kwofie is a Ghanaian judge, an active justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana and president of the Association of Magistrates and Justices of Ghana.

Richard Adjei-Frimpong is a Ghanaian judge and an active justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.

References

  1. "As a Christian Ghanaian woman, I'm appalled by the proposed anti-LGBTIQ law". openDemocracy.
  2. Avery, Dan (29 July 2021). "Ghana poised to vote on 'worst anti-LGBTQ bill ever' advocates warn". NBC News.
  3. "Ghana passes bill making identifying as LGBTQ+ illegal". BBC News. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  4. Atuguba, Raymond A. (2019). "Homosexuality in Ghana: Morality, Law, Human Rights". Journal of Politics and Law. 12 (4): 113. doi: 10.5539/jpl.v12n4p113 . S2CID   213112602.
  5. "Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill Makes LGBTQ+ Community Illegal". www.jurist.org. 23 August 2021.
  6. "Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill" (DOCX). 76Crimes. 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  7. 1 2 "10 key things Ghana's anti-LGBTQI+ bill is proposing". 26 July 2021.
  8. "Ghana: anti-gay bill proposing 10-year prison sentences sparks outrage". the Guardian. 23 July 2021.
  9. "A law to be passed to stop activities of LGBTQ+ – Bagbin". 25 June 2021. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  10. "Anti-gay bill reaches Ghana parliament, boosted by speaker". Erasing 76 Crimes. 30 June 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Ghana's speaker of parliament says the 'LGBT+ pandemic is worse than COVID-19'". 1 July 2021.
  12. "LGBTQI+ Bill laid in Parliament". Graphic Online.
  13. "Parliamentary committee handling anti LGBTQI+ Bill to commence sitting next week". Graphic Online.
  14. "Supporters and opponents face off over Ghana's anti-LGBT law". Reuters. 12 November 2021 via www.reuters.com.
  15. "Ghana begins debating violently anti-LGBT+ bill that could criminalise HIV fight". 12 November 2021.
  16. "AIDS Commission worried anti-LGBTQ law could cause withdrawal of donor support". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  17. "Homosexuality is a mental disorder, not biological – Prof Akwasi Osei". Graphic Online.
  18. "CHRAJ entreats Parliament to tread carefully on LGBTQI+". Graphic Online.
  19. "CHRAJ urges caution in passing anti-LGBTQI+ bill". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  20. "LGBT+ Ghanaians should be forced into conversion therapy, bigot tells MPs". 7 December 2021.
  21. "All 275 MPs consent to passage of anti-LGBTQ Bill". www.myjoyonline.com. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  22. "Anti-LGBTQ bill laid for the second time in Parliament but Speaker hints at hurdle". www.myjoyonline.com. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  23. "Anti-LGBTQ bill: Full Committee report recommending passage of bill". www.myjoyonline.com. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  24. "Anti-LGBTQ bill reflects desires of Ghanaians – Ntim Fordjour". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  25. Naadi, Thomas (28 February 2024). "Ghana passes bill making identifying as LGBTQ+ illegal". BBC News.
  26. "Ghana's parliament passes anti-LGBTQ bill". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  27. AfricaNews (29 April 2024). "Ghana's high court dismisses bid to speed up anti-LGBTQ law passage". Africanews. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  28. Agbenorsi, Justice (29 April 2024). "Court throws out application to compel Bagbin, President Akufo-Addo to act on Anti-LGBT bill". Graphic Online. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  29. Agbenorsi, Justice (8 May 2024). "Anti-LGBTQI Bill: Supreme Court grants Richard Sky's request to file new motion". Graphic Online. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  30. "Anti-Gay bill: Supreme Court grants Richard Sky's request to amend suit - MyJoyOnline". www.myjoyonline.com. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  31. "Supreme Court adjourn anti-LGBTQ bill case indefinitely – how live broadcast from court go take affect di case?". BBC News Pidgin. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  32. "Ghana court hears challenge to contested anti-LGBTQ law". Voice of America. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  33. 1 2 "Ghana Supreme Court rejects legal challenges to anti-LGBT bill". CNN. Reuters. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  34. "Ghana's 'hate-filled' anti-LGBT+ bill bears signature of America's religious right, activists warn". 3 August 2021.
  35. "Ghana bill criminalising LGBT+ people, allies and advocates is 'a homophobe's dream'". The Independent. 28 July 2021.
  36. "Akoto Ampaw, Atuguba, Karikari, 15 others kick against LGBTQI Bill in Parliament". Graphic Online.
  37. "Ghana president calls for 'tolerance' as anti-LGBT+ bill gains steam". 24 October 2021.
  38. "Sentiments instead of rationalism taking over LGBTQI+ debate in Ghana – Boadu-Ayeboafoh". Graphic Online.
  39. "NPP opposes LGBTQI+ - John Boadu". Graphic Online.
  40. "PNC endorses anti-LGBTQI+ bill". Graphic Online.
  41. "4 Parties support LGBTQI+ Bill - one opposes draft law". Graphic Online.
  42. "Ghanaian chief threatens to storm parliament with 10,000 homophobes". 13 October 2021.
  43. "UK church leaders criticise Ghanaian bishops for support of anti-LGBTQ+ law". the Guardian. 26 October 2021.
  44. "CCG And GPCC 2021 Joint Communique : Full Text". christiancouncilofghana.org. 24 January 2020.
  45. "Don't bow to pressure over Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill- Office of Chief Imam urges MPs". Graphic Online.
  46. "More throw support behind anti-LGBTQI+ bill". Graphic Online.
  47. "LGBTQ Tolerance Billboards Destroyed in Ghana". VOA. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  48. "LGBTQI billboard on Tema motorway pulled down after Sam George's threats". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  49. "Sam George, others charge IGP over LGBTQ+ billboard on Tema Motorway". GhanaWeb. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  50. "Pull down LGBTQI billboard - MPs to Police". Graphic Online. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  51. "Catholic Bishops throw weight behind Ghana's anti-gay bill". GhanaWeb . 12 December 2023.
  52. "Finance ministry gives a breakdown of how the anti-gay bill will hit Ghana's economy if passed". GhanaWeb. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  53. 1 2 "Ghana's finance ministry urges president not to sign anti-LGBTQ+ bill". 4 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  54. "Don't assent to brutal, unjust anti-gay bill – Samia Nkrumah to Akufo-Addo". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  55. "Mahama accuses Akufo-Addo of delaying Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill signing due to dependency on foreign aid". www.myjoyonline.com. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  56. Dontoh, Ekow (25 August 2024). "Ghana Vice President Says He'd Sign Anti-LGBTQ Bill Into Law". Financial Post. pp. 1–3.
  57. "Draft bill on "Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021" - An analysis by UN Independent Human Rights Experts | United Nations in Ghana". ghana.un.org.[ permanent dead link ]
  58. "Homophobic Ghanaian 'Family Values' Bill is Odious and Beggars Belief". 10 August 2021.
  59. "On LGBTQ+ Rights, Ghana's Bishops Choose to Ignore Pope". 7 December 2021.
  60. "Withdraw Anti-LGBTI bill - Amnesty International to Ghana". Graphic Online.
  61. "Archbishop Tutu speaks out against homophobia in light of new anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Ghana". GCN. 29 November 2021.
  62. "I'm holding Ghana's LGBTQ+ community in my prayers - Archbishop of York". GhanaWeb. 30 October 2021. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  63. "Archbishop of Canterbury backtracks on 'grave concerns' over Ghana anti-LGBT bill". 15 November 2021.
  64. McKenzie, David; Princewill, Nimi (8 October 2021). "How a US group with links to the far-right may have influenced a crackdown on Ghana's LGBTQ community". CNN. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  65. "Homophobia is on the rise in Ghana – here's why". Huck Magazine. 22 November 2021.
  66. "Ghana's imported intolerance of LGBT+ rights". openDemocracy.