General News of Monday, 27 November 2017

Source: peacefmonline.com

Legalisation of homosexuality likely to happen in 100 years - Hamid

Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid

Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid says President Nana Akufo-Addo will not legalize homosexuality under his tenure as Head of State.

According to him, the discourse about homosexuality is not on the agenda of the government and so asked Ghanaians not to be worried about the President's stance on the issue.

President Akufo-Addo in an interview with host Jane Dutton on Al Jazeera's "Talk To Al Jazeera" on Sunday implied that homosexuality is still illegal in Ghana because there are not enough activists pushing for its legalization.

According to him, there can only be a strong coalition to reform the nation's cultural setting and laws in support of homosexuality.

The President however gave the impression that a strong coalition may emerge in the future to eventually push for a change in the law.

He has since come under a barrage of criticisms for his comments.

Whiles some critics are calling on him to make his stance clear, others insist the President should emphatically declare he and his government will not support homosexuality.

But speaking in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" on Monday, the Information Minister noted that the President's response on Al Jazeera was apt.

To him, he was reflecting the laws of the country and cannot impose his personal views on the Ghanaian populace.

On the issue of whether pressure from lobbyists could result in a change of law on homosexuality in Ghana, Hon. Hamid said it could possibly happen in "100 years" to come.

However, he said, "there is no way it will be legalized now or in the eight (8) year rule of President Akufo-Addo."