MP petitions Mahama over gay couple at Independence Square

Old Tafo MP, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama, calling on him to condemn a viral video showing two foreign men, believed to be a gay couple, kissing and celebrating at Ghana’s Independence Square.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, June 26, Assafuah described the footage as a “moral assault” and a “spiritual insult” to Ghana’s national pride, citing the presence of the Ghana flag and the symbolism of the location.

He urged the President to expedite efforts for the passage of Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill to prevent similar incidents from recurring. “This isn’t just a social issue; it challenges the values our forefathers fought for,” Assafuah, a trained lawyer, wrote.

The video has drawn widespread public backlash, reigniting debates over LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana and the preservation of national heritage.

Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, Assin South MP and a member of the Defence and Interior Committee, also weighed in. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he accused the opposition NDC and Mahama of fostering “a blatant disregard for Ghana’s cultural values.”

“Under Mahama & NDC, foreign gay couple boldly desecrate our national monuments: kiss under Independence Square flaunting Ghana flag,” Fordjour wrote.

He criticized the NDC’s perceived leniency toward LGBTQ+ issues and stressed the importance of swiftly passing the controversial anti-gay bill, which is still awaiting a final parliamentary vote.