The Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Hon. Alhasan Suhuyini and a renowned Muslim has commended the chief Imam for his stern stand on legalization of gay or homosexual marriage in the country.
He further called on the vice president H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to come clear on his stands on gay marriage.
He made this statement in a telephone interview on Ahotor FM’s morning show, Thursday 7th December.
President Akufo-Addo told Al Jazeera that the practice is illegal in Ghana because there hasn’t been a strong push for its legalization.
“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.”
The Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Arfemeyaw Shaibu stated that President Akufo-Addo’s position doesn’t reflect that of Ghanaians.
“The Western nations that are economically powerful can use their economic positions, strength as a means to impose certain cultures on us. So we’ll not be far away from right if we say that behind the scenes certain strings were being pulled and that is why the President was so cautious”, Sheikh Arfemeyaw stated
“I commend the Muslim group who are calling on the vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to strongly back the call made by the chief Imam”
“I recall Dr. Bawumia stood on various platforms and emphasized that he will uphold the virtues of his religion, he went further to visit the various Muslim communities and mosques edging them to vote him into power because of his religion” He stated
Suhuyini in his statement also reiterated that the vice president in his famous quote during the 2016 elections emphasized that he will put the values of the Bible and Quran to bear at the flagstaff house should be seen by all.
Daniel Koranteng Kwagyiri|ahotoronline.com|Ghana
