Freddy Blay Comments On LGBTQ+ Is Unfortunate - Torgbui Tengey Laments

The Forum for Kings and Traditional Leaders of Africa has described Chairman Freddy Blay's comments on LGBTQ+ as unfortunate add in that, he would have thought deeply to avoid personal attacks as a statesman.

Speaking at a news conference held in Accra, the Chief of Staff from the office of the Vice President, Torgbui Gobah Tengey, counseled the parliamentarians that, they should know the cultural norms of Ghana is against the LGBTQ+, hence, urged them to be extra careful in parliament before passing the bill into law.

"In Ghana, same-sex conduct is already a crime, with violators facing a three-year sentence," he stressed.

He said, the new Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill seeks to criminalize identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, nonbinary, queer, an ally “or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female,” according to a section of the Bill.

Torgbui Tengey hinted that, he is aware some politicians are also advocating for the rights of anyone in those categories — through speech, printed material, electronic media or other means — could result in an even steeper sentence of up to a decade in prison if anyone been criminalized. 

The proposal, which was submitted to parliament last month, also explicitly bans same-sex marriage and adoption, LGBTQ+ focused associations and gender-affirming surgery — ”except where the procedure is intended to correct a biological anomaly including intersex,” he lamented.

According to him, gross indecency, which according to the measure includes cross-dressing and public displays of same-sex affection.

He appealed for Coexistence among the traditional authorities and clergy to mount pressure on parliamentarians to deal with the Bill before them wisely.

Torgbui Gobah Tengey calls on corporate institutions and individuals to come to the aid of Anglo Ladies the only football team in the Volta state because the team needs a lot of support to survive in the premier league.

.Joseph Nana Yaw Cobbina