Important Arab countries have received a petition from Hon. Japhet Festus Gbede, the Assembly Member for the Wuxor, Have, and Sremanu Electoral Area in the Volta Region's Akatsi South Constituency. Mr. Gbede wrote a two-page letter to the governments of Tunisia, Morocco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Palestine, urging them to refrain from funding Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's candidacy for president until the LGBTQ+ bill is passed.
The measure, which aims to make "LGBTQ+" behaviors illegal in Ghana, has generated discussion both domestically and abroad. Mr. Gbede contends that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not done enough to persuade Dr. Bawumia, the vice president at the moment and the 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to sign the measure into law.
In the petition, Mr. Gbede criticized Dr. Bawumia's position on the matter as incoherent, pointing out that his silence can be interpreted as a political ploy to win over various factions. Since LGBTQ+ practices are considered to be against Islamic teachings, the Assembly Member underlined that Dr. Bawumia should take a stronger stand against them as a Muslim. It is concerning that Dr. Bawumia is unable to publicly question the president on this issue. "The Qur'an, Ghanaian culture, and natural order are all opposed to the LGBTQ+ practice," the petition said.
In order to guarantee that Ghana's leaders preserve moral and cultural values, Mr. Gbede urged the Arab countries to exercise their influence. LGBTQ+ behaviors are sinful and detrimental to society, according to him. The Assembly Member's audacious petition has brought attention to the interplay between politics, religion, and cultural values in Ghana's governance, adding another level of complexity to the country's ongoing LGBTQ+ rights discussion.

Source: AkonnorNews