Barima Agyei Konadu Yiador II, the Chief of Akyem Asikesu in the Eastern region, has challenged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to be courageous and express his position on LGBTQ-related issues to all Ghanaians.
Barima Agyei Konadu Yiador Il commended Ghana’s parliament for its recent unanimous decision by both sides of the House during the bill’s second hearing and reading, while he spoke to the chiefs and people of Akyem Asikesu at the Ohum festival.
According to the traditional leader, the President should address the nation and declare whether he supports or opposes such actions, as he did with the COVID-19 revisions.
He claimed that the parliament’s decision to permit the bill’s unanimous passage is evidence of the protection of the Ghanaian culture and traditions, as well as a step in the right direction toward building a future of dignity for the unborn generation.
He however maintained that the traditional leaders and chiefs of the nation abhor homosexuality and lesbianism and are prepared to protect the populace even in the absence of moral leadership from politicians. If the bill is not approved by parliament, he has promised to conduct a demonstration against the President.
“I am using this medium to inform our MPs, ministers, and government appointees that we will not tolerate LGBTQI+ activities. The plus sign next to these terms indicates that it is acceptable to sleep with animals. These activities will not be tolerated by traditional leaders. If they do not pass the bill and stop these activities, I shall lead a one-man protest against our politicians.
“The Ghanaian Parliament also performed admirably in their recent unanimous support for the bill when it was presented before the House for the second reading and debate. But we want to make it clear that homosexuality and lesbianism will not be tolerated in Ghana, it goes against our cultural values.”
Barima Agyei Konadu Yiador II
LGBTQ+ Activities Evil And Abominable
The National House of Chiefs also referred to LGBTQ+ activities as vile and terrible and has made clear how strongly it opposes them.
Speaking at a gathering in Kumasi, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, President of the National House of Chiefs, stated that traditional leaders will continue to resist such acts to preserve the nation’s customs and culture. He thereby urged Ghanaians to assist chiefs in preserving the nation’s ideals and traditions.
“LGBTQ+ is evil. We the chiefs of Ghana have been bombarded by calls to make an open declaration concerning activities by LGBTQ+. We the chiefs of Ghana who are the custodians of culture and land, want to state categorically that our traditions and customs recognize that our creator-God or Allah, created man and woman to occupy the earth.
There’s no other gender, but only male and female gender. It is therefore an abomination and against our cultural values to import into our country anything contrary to it.”
Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II
He added that the chiefs and their subjects will not tolerate any LGBTQ+ behavior, man-to-man marriages, woman-to-woman marriages, or any other type in Ghana. He continued by calling the act in question abhorrent.
According to Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, LGBTQ people would not be tolerated since they are incompatible with national values.
“LGBTQ+ is alien to us, I oppose it myself. I want to assure Nananom that we will protect our tradition and make sure we will not go by any tradition alien to us,” he stated.
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