Former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration Joseph Yamin, has accused President Akufo-Addo of attempting to please the homosexual community into sponsoring the Free SHS Programme, which is facing funding problem.

His claims comes after President Akufo-Addo gave subtle hint that his government could legalize homosexuality when there’s a strong push for it.

In an answer to a question in an interview with Aljazeera on why Ghana’s laws still criminalize homosexuality, President Akufo-Addo said: “This is the socio-cultural issue if you like…I don’t believe that in Ghana, so far, a sufficiently strong coalition has emerged which is having that impact on public opinion that will say: ‘Change it [the law], let’s then have a new paradigm in Ghana.”

He further noted that he grew up in England, which, in the past, detest homosexuality but later succumbed to pressure from LGBT lobbyists to amend their laws to accommodate same-sex relationship.

“I grew up in England; I went to school as a young boy in England and I grew up at a time in England when homosexuality was banned there, it was illegal and I lived in the period when British politicians thought it was anathema to think about changing the law and suddenly the activities of individuals, of groups, a certain awareness, a certain development grew and grew and grew stronger and it forced a change in law. I believe those are the same processes that will bring about changes in our situation.”

The president, nonetheless said: “At the moment, I don’t feel and I don’t see that in Ghana, there is that strong current of opinion that will say: ‘This is something that we need even deal with’. It’s not, so far, a matter which is on the agenda.”

But reacting to the President’s comments, Joseph Yamin said Mr. Akufo Addo is exciting the international homosexual community to enable him secure funds to run the Free SHS programme which has been hit by financial challenge.

“I’m sure that we’re all aware that the homosexual community are very influential in the world today. They have some resources that sometimes tempts people to go their way. I won’t be surprised if Nana Akufo Addo after failing to achieve his ambitious promises to the people of this country, one district, one factory, there’s been sod cutting but nothing is going on. This Free SHS, Ghanaians are crying all over coming to a halt in just about a term.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Nana Akufo Addo wants to please the homosexual community so that he’ll have some aid coming from them to support the policy that he himself didn’t know how much will cause the nation but for political expediency he’ll want to implement it. If not for that, I’m not sure Nana Akufo Addo, a Christian that we know, knowing very well that we Christians are against homosexuality will want to suggest that if pressure should come from the homosexual community, then we’ll have nothing else but legalize it.

It is serious, I think that the President wants to satisfy some people that we don’t know and probably might be to seek some aid from the community in helping him achieve the promises he gave to the people of this country,” Yamin told Starr News