By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament and eight Members of Parliament (MPs) who jointly submitted a private bill to push for the criminalisation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) activities in the country have been honoured at a short but colourful ceremony held at the Justice D. F. Annan Hall—Parliament House in Accra.
They were honoured by the Executive Board of Mission Africa Incorporated USA/Ghana, in collaboration with the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship, the Worldwide Miracle Outreach UK led by Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, the Inland Empire Concern African America Churches of California (IECCAC (UNA- GH), Inter-Faith Christian for Jewish Strategic Diplomacy, USA, Christian Bible, and Governance.
The Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, dubbed “Bill on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values”, which was presented on the floor of Ghana’s Parliament on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, met with some stiff opposition from a section of the international community.
However, with determination and fortitude on the part of the Speaker, MPs, especially the eight MPs, and some religious groups, the bill has gone through most of the various stages and is currently at the consideration stage.
For this reason, the Executive Board of Mission Africa Incorporated USA/Ghana, and its partners held a special prayer session to pray for them as well as to award them with a citation dubbed “Mission Africa’s Humanitarian -Good Fight of Faith Award”.
Addressing the gathering on behalf of her colleagues, the MP for Krachi West Constituency in the Oti Region, Mrs. Helen Adjoa Ntoso, who could not hide her joy, commended organisers for the honour done them.
“We thank the Executive Board of Mission Africa Incorporated, USA/Ghana, and its partners for honouring us while we are alive.
As we have been witnessing in Ghana, people are mostly honoured after they are dead and gone, but we thank God and the organisers, especially the founder and President of Mission Africa Inc.,” she reiterated.
In her welcome address, the Vice President of Mission Africa Inc. admonished the public, especially religious bodies, to continue to pray for the MPs and people in leadership positions.
“They need our prayers and support because this LGBTQ+ brouhaha is a spiritual warfare that should be taken lightly. Thus, our MPs, the Speaker, and everyone in a position to influence the passage of the bill into an Act should be prayed for so that they will continue to hold their faith to ensure the bill is passed,” she explained.
Some of the awardees are Rt. Hon. Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram constituency, Samuel Nartey George, Emmanuel Bedzrah (MP, Ho West), Della Adjoa Sowah (MP, Kpando), John Ntim Fordjour (MP, Assin South), Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini (MP, Tamale North), Helen Adjoa Ntoso (MP, Krachi West), and Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (MP, La Dadekotopon). Others are Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor (MP, South Dayi) and Lawyer Moses Foh Amoaning.