{"id":470704,"date":"2011-07-30T09:45:04","date_gmt":"2011-07-30T09:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/"},"modified":"2011-07-30T09:45:04","modified_gmt":"2011-07-30T09:45:04","slug":"homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/","title":{"rendered":"Homosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"\"<\/a>The Raging Debate<\/p>\n

The issue of whether people have a right to practise homosexuality or lesbianism in Ghana has aroused mixed feelings, with a vocal public majority clearly against the practice.<\/p>\n

Prominent public officials and religious bodies have come out to denounce the practice in no uncertain terms, and homosexuals are claiming random violence at the hands of the public. Human rights organizations, meanwhile, have not come together with a unified voice on the issue, even though most lawyers are of the opinion that their rights should not be violated.<\/p>\n

A section of the Criminal Code forbidding \u201cunnatural carnal knowledge\u201d is popularly interpreted as anti-homosexuality.<\/p>\n

However, those who practise the act insist they are Ghanaians and therefore, they deserve the same constitutional protections afforded their compatriots.<\/p>\n

Hillary Afful, 26, from Accra is openly a gay and recounts a life-story of ostracization.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father didn\u2019t seem to understand that his only son is behaving like a gay,\u201d Afful told Daily Guide, in an interview granted on condition of his picture not being printed. \u201cMy father would always say, \u2018he\u2019s not my blood\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Christians\u2019 Position<\/strong>
Religious bodies have stated blunt positions. Homosexuality and lesbianism are abominations, they warn, and will bring the wrath of God upon Ghana, making reference to Sodom and Gomorrah.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe homosexual issue is becoming a problem, as our youth always emulate the lifestyle of the Western world, whether good or bad,\u201d said Reverend Fred Deegbe, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, during a July 18 news conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Ghana, we have witnessed gay marriages, and because these went unchecked, the homosexual community had even wanted to host a global conference on homosexuality.<\/p>\n

We as a Christian community in Ghana totally condemn this as an unnatural and ungodly act and call on all religious bodies and organizations, traditional leaders and all decent-loving Ghanaians to join this campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt. Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey, thinks that homosexuality and lesbianism could \u201coverride our cultural norms and values,\u201d and said \u201cit is a spiritual disease\u201d, the sufferers of which need \u201cspiritual cleansing\u201d.<\/p>\n

Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina, chairman of the Church of Pentecost, struck a similar note, saying his organization is less concerned with advising government than promoting redemption.<\/p>\n

But Rt. Rev. Matthias Modedues-Badohu, presiding bishop of the Anglican Church and bishop of Ho, said the act should be condemned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe speak against acts that go against the word of God,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is abnormal and not good. Our objective is to condemn it so that people will not get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several Christian leaders warned they would mobilize their congregations against politicians and political parties who defend homosexuality and lesbianism.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe Ghanaians, and for that matter Africans, cherish our rich and strong values on issues such as homosexuality,\u201d said Rev. Deegbe, adding, \u201cAnd we must not allow any one or group of people to impose what is acceptable in their culture on us in the name of human rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though Ghana is a secular state, the population of Christians far outweighs that of other religious groups. Over 60 percent of the population is said to be Christian and the threats from the faith must be worrying to political parties and their interests.<\/p>\n

The Muslim Perspective<\/strong>
The Muslim leadership has been very swift in condemning homosexuality as well. Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam of Ghana, warned homosexuals will face the wrath of Allah.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur country is on track for creating a better society, better living standards and better quality of lives devoid of poverty and illiteracy for its citizenry, if we reject this undignified and immoral act that is not even practiced by animals in the jungle,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Maulvi Dr. Wahab Adam, ameer and missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, said homosexuality is not \u201ca natural trait of man, but rather a habit which was acquired by some people who were confined for a long time without access to the opposite sex\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The clergy from L to R: Rev. Nana Anyani Boadum, Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina, Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, Rt. Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey and Rt. Rev. Matthias Modedues-Badohu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

He believes strongly that homosexuality and lesbianism cause HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and says, \u201cIt also runs counter to the natural order of creation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Government\u2019s Hesitancy<\/strong>
The John Mills administration is yet to make an official position on homosexuality, despite numerous calls from religious leaders for it to come out with more stringent laws.<\/p>\n

President Mills reportedly went haywire when the Ghanaian Times carried a story on July 12, with the banner headline: \u2018We\u2019ll stop the Gays \u2013 President\u2019.<\/p>\n

The President personally telephoned the acting editor of the state-owned paper, to reprimand him over the story, even though the story was originally a Ghana News Agency item.<\/p>\n

Western Region Minister Paul Evans Aidoo appeared to have heightened the debate recently, when he ordered the arrest of homosexuals in the Western Region.<\/p>\n

On July 20, the minister said that security agencies, including the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), had been ordered to make the arrests.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe security agencies, including the BNI, are on the ground,\u201d he said on radio. \u201cThey are trying to see if people are practicing it. We even have volunteers who are on the ground studying the situation and providing us with information and we have also asked landlords to assist us to apprehend them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to get rid of these people from the society. We want to get them so that we can test the strength of our laws.\u201d<\/p>\n

CHRAJ As Human<\/strong>
Rights Protector<\/strong>
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the independent body constitutionally mandated to protect the rights of all persons, irrespective of status, does not want to be drawn into the debate.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commission is not taking a stance on the (unnatural carnal knowledge) law,\u201d Richard Quayson, deputy commissioner of CHRAJ tells Daily Guide. \u201cAs far as the commission is concerned, all persons are entitled to protection under the laws of the country. And therefore we treat everyone equally under the law. The law does not allow anybody to take the law in his hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a homosexual lodges a mob-justice complaint with the CHRAJ, Quayson said, an investigation will be launched\u201d.<\/p>\n

Civil Society Organizations And NGOs<\/strong>
The position taken by Amnesty International seems neutral.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur position is simply that we do not either support or stand against it,\u201d said Lawrence Amesu, director of the Ghana chapter.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us, it is an individual choice, and even if a person decides to be a gay or lesbian, they should still enjoy their human rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel Asare Korang, programs manager with Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC), is much more vocal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are committed to promoting the rights of homosexuals in Ghana,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said HRAC has a \u2018healthy relationship\u2019 with the gay community in Accra and went ahead to disclose that HRAC secured funding from the UN to research the relationship between police and homosexuals. He said the report is not yet public.<\/p>\n

Mr. Korang revealed HRAC was very active during the constitution review process, when it was able to bring together several homosexuals to present their position before a panel committee of the Constitution Review Commission.<\/p>\n

\u201cA case was made to include sexual orientation as a forbidden cause for discrimination in the current constitution,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing like that in the Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n

If sexual orientation becomes a constitutional ground for non-discrimination, it would be a legal landmark in the debate.<\/p>\n

Individual Views<\/strong>
There are some pro-rights voices appearing in the media, such as lawyer and lecturer Ernest Kofi Abotsi, who is with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and Professor S.T. Sai, former presidential advisor on HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n

Appearing recently on Joy FM, Abotsi insisted that the current constitution protects against arrest for a breach of morality.\u00a0 He also said the \u201cunnatural canal knowledge\u201d law is ambiguous and not necessarily a reference to homosexuality.<\/p>\n

Prof. Sai, a population health expert, waded into the debate on Citi FM. He held that homosexuals have the right to practise their sexual preference within their constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy and autonomy, so far as they do not infringe on the rights of others or break any laws.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are constitutional provisions which talk about autonomy,\u201d he said. \u201cSo why should what two people do in their privacy, without confronting anybody, be subject to the law when the law itself has got all of these provisions? It is really not appreciating what the law provides, or we are limiting the interpretation of the law to suit ourselves or our circumstances, rather than making it free for people to enjoy the provisions of the constitution?\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he himself would not practise homosexuality, but he is not prepared to judge anyone who does.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially as a doctor,\u201d he said, \u201cI don\u2019t know whether there is a biological basis for it, a psychological basis for it, or simply a person\u2019s choice. I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Health Hazards of<\/strong>
Homosexuality<\/strong>
The health effect of homosexuality has been bandied about the debate. According to health experts, risky sex practices greatly increase the incidence of serious and incurable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including hepatitis, HPV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and AIDS.<\/p>\n

Dr. Akwasi Osei, Chief Psychiatrist at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, in a recent media interview described homosexuals and lesbians as suffering from \u2018mental illness.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cCondemning and stigmatizing the people involved in the act will not help us,\u201d he was quoted as saying. \u201cRather, we should deliberate more on the issue and think of a way to let them know that they are not well and that they could be treated.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Afful was 15, he said he became a prostitute. He was rejected by most of his family and, with the death of his accepting grandmother, he felt hopeless.<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cI contracted a lot of infections\u201d like \u201cgenital warts, gonorrhea and all that\u201d.<\/p>\n

However, those kinds of infections are often more associated with risky sex \u2013 such as prostitution \u2013 than homosexual sex. There are plenty of practising homosexuals in the world who do not contract diseases.<\/p>\n

Paying The Price<\/strong>
For Supporting<\/strong>
Homosexuality\/Lesbianism<\/strong>
Korang admitted that civil society organizations aren\u2019t speaking clearly for the rights of homosexuals because there is a fear of being branded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe in Ghana it\u2019s difficult to get civil society organized to come out and say, \u2018We support homosexuality\u2019, because the fear is they are likely to be associated with it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, homosexuals themselves can only sit and wait for this latest flashpoint in the debate to run its course, whatever that may be.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that all this noise is going on, we are in hell,\u201d said Afful. \u201cWe are going through hell.<\/p>\n

We meet and we tell ourselves it\u2019s no more safe,\u201d Afful lamented.<\/p>\n

STORY BY William Yaw Owusu<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Raging Debate The issue of whether people have a right to practise homosexuality or lesbianism in Ghana has aroused mixed feelings, with a vocal public majority clearly against the practice. Prominent public officials and religious bodies have come out to denounce the practice in no uncertain terms, and homosexuals are claiming random violence at the hands of the public. Human rights organizations, meanwhile, have not come together with a unified voice on the issue, even though most lawyers are of the opinion that their rights should not be violated. A section of the Criminal Code forbidding \u201cunnatural carnal knowledge\u201d is popularly interpreted as anti-homosexuality. However, those who practise the act insist they are Ghanaians and therefore, they deserve the same constitutional protections afforded their compatriots. Hillary Afful, 26, from Accra is openly a gay and recounts a life-story of ostracization. \u201cMy father didn\u2019t seem to understand that his only son is behaving like a gay,\u201d Afful told Daily Guide, in an interview granted on condition of his picture not being printed. \u201cMy father would always say, \u2018he\u2019s not my blood\u2019.\u201d The Christians\u2019 Position Religious bodies have stated blunt positions. Homosexuality and lesbianism are abominations, they warn, and will bring the wrath of God upon Ghana, making reference to Sodom and Gomorrah. \u201cThe homosexual issue is becoming a problem, as our youth always emulate the lifestyle of the Western world, whether good or bad,\u201d said Reverend Fred Deegbe, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, during a July 18 news conference. \u201cIn Ghana, we have witnessed gay marriages, and because these went unchecked, the homosexual community had even wanted to host a global conference on homosexuality. We as a Christian community in Ghana totally condemn this as an unnatural and ungodly act and call on all religious bodies and organizations, traditional leaders and all decent-loving Ghanaians to join this campaign.\u201d The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt. Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey, thinks that homosexuality and lesbianism could \u201coverride our cultural norms and values,\u201d and said \u201cit is a spiritual disease\u201d, the sufferers of which need \u201cspiritual cleansing\u201d. Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina, chairman of the Church of Pentecost, struck a similar note, saying his organization is less concerned with advising government than promoting redemption. But Rt. Rev. Matthias Modedues-Badohu, presiding bishop of the Anglican Church and bishop of Ho, said the act should be condemned. \u201cWe speak against acts that go against the word of God,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is abnormal and not good. Our objective is to condemn it so that people will not get involved.\u201d Several Christian leaders warned they would mobilize their congregations against politicians and political parties who defend homosexuality and lesbianism. \u201cWe Ghanaians, and for that matter Africans, cherish our rich and strong values on issues such as homosexuality,\u201d said Rev. Deegbe, adding, \u201cAnd we must not allow any one or group of people to impose what is acceptable in their culture on us in the name of human rights.\u201d Even though Ghana is a secular state, the population of Christians far outweighs that of other religious groups. Over 60 percent of the population is said to be Christian and the threats from the faith must be worrying to political parties and their interests. The Muslim Perspective The Muslim leadership has been very swift in condemning homosexuality as well. Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam of Ghana, warned homosexuals will face the wrath of Allah. \u201cOur country is on track for creating a better society, better living standards and better quality of lives devoid of poverty and illiteracy for its citizenry, if we reject this undignified and immoral act that is not even practiced by animals in the jungle,\u201d he said. Maulvi Dr. Wahab Adam, ameer and missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, said homosexuality is not \u201ca natural trait of man, but rather a habit which was acquired by some people who were confined for a long time without access to the opposite sex\u201d. The clergy from L to R: Rev. Nana Anyani Boadum, Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina, Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, Rt. Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey and Rt. Rev. Matthias Modedues-Badohu He believes strongly that homosexuality and lesbianism cause HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and says, \u201cIt also runs counter to the natural order of creation.\u201d Government\u2019s Hesitancy The John Mills administration is yet to make an official position on homosexuality, despite numerous calls from religious leaders for it to come out with more stringent laws. President Mills reportedly went haywire when the Ghanaian Times carried a story on July 12, with the banner headline: \u2018We\u2019ll stop the Gays \u2013 President\u2019. The President personally telephoned the acting editor of the state-owned paper, to reprimand him over the story, even though the story was originally a Ghana News Agency item. Western Region Minister Paul Evans Aidoo appeared to have heightened the debate recently, when he ordered the arrest of homosexuals in the Western Region. On July 20, the minister said that security agencies, including the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), had been ordered to make the arrests. \u201cThe security agencies, including the BNI, are on the ground,\u201d he said on radio. \u201cThey are trying to see if people are practicing it. We even have volunteers who are on the ground studying the situation and providing us with information and we have also asked landlords to assist us to apprehend them. \u201cWe want to get rid of these people from the society. We want to get them so that we can test the strength of our laws.\u201d CHRAJ As Human Rights Protector The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the independent body constitutionally mandated to protect the rights of all persons, irrespective of status, does not want to be drawn into the debate. \u201cThe commission is not taking a stance on the (unnatural carnal knowledge) law,\u201d Richard Quayson, deputy commissioner of CHRAJ tells Daily Guide. \u201cAs far as the commission is concerned, all persons are entitled to protection under the laws of the country. And therefore we treat everyone equally under the law. The law does not allow anybody to take the law in his hands.\u201d \u201cIf a homosexual lodges a mob-justice complaint with the CHRAJ, Quayson said, an investigation will be launched\u201d. Civil Society Organizations And NGOs The position taken by Amnesty International seems neutral. \u201cOur position is simply that we do not either support or stand against it,\u201d said Lawrence Amesu, director of the Ghana chapter. \u201cFor us, it is an individual choice, and even if a person decides to be a gay or lesbian, they should still enjoy their human rights.\u201d Daniel Asare Korang, programs manager with Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC), is much more vocal. \u201cWe are committed to promoting the rights of homosexuals in Ghana,\u201d he said. He said HRAC has a \u2018healthy relationship\u2019 with the gay community in Accra and went ahead to disclose that HRAC secured funding from the UN to research the relationship between police and homosexuals. He said the report is not yet public. Mr. Korang revealed HRAC was very active during the constitution review process, when it was able to bring together several homosexuals to present their position before a panel committee of the Constitution Review Commission. \u201cA case was made to include sexual orientation as a forbidden cause for discrimination in the current constitution,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing like that in the Constitution.\u201d If sexual orientation becomes a constitutional ground for non-discrimination, it would be a legal landmark in the debate. Individual Views There are some pro-rights voices appearing in the media, such as lawyer and lecturer Ernest Kofi Abotsi, who is with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and Professor S.T. Sai, former presidential advisor on HIV\/AIDS. Appearing recently on Joy FM, Abotsi insisted that the current constitution protects against arrest for a breach of morality.\u00a0 He also said the \u201cunnatural canal knowledge\u201d law is ambiguous and not necessarily a reference to homosexuality. Prof. Sai, a population health expert, waded into the debate on Citi FM. He held that homosexuals have the right to practise their sexual preference within their constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy and autonomy, so far as they do not infringe on the rights of others or break any laws. \u201cThere are constitutional provisions which talk about autonomy,\u201d he said. \u201cSo why should what two people do in their privacy, without confronting anybody, be subject to the law when the law itself has got all of these provisions? It is really not appreciating what the law provides, or we are limiting the interpretation of the law to suit ourselves or our circumstances, rather than making it free for people to enjoy the provisions of the constitution?\u201d He said he himself would not practise homosexuality, but he is not prepared to judge anyone who does. \u201cEspecially as a doctor,\u201d he said, \u201cI don\u2019t know whether there is a biological basis for it, a psychological basis for it, or simply a person\u2019s choice. I don\u2019t know.\u201d Health Hazards of Homosexuality The health effect of homosexuality has been bandied about the debate. According to health experts, risky sex practices greatly increase the incidence of serious and incurable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including hepatitis, HPV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and AIDS. Dr. Akwasi Osei, Chief Psychiatrist at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, in a recent media interview described homosexuals and lesbians as suffering from \u2018mental illness.\u2019 \u201cCondemning and stigmatizing the people involved in the act will not help us,\u201d he was quoted as saying. \u201cRather, we should deliberate more on the issue and think of a way to let them know that they are not well and that they could be treated.\u201d When Afful was 15, he said he became a prostitute. He was rejected by most of his family and, with the death of his accepting grandmother, he felt hopeless. He said, \u201cI contracted a lot of infections\u201d like \u201cgenital warts, gonorrhea and all that\u201d. However, those kinds of infections are often more associated with risky sex \u2013 such as prostitution \u2013 than homosexual sex. There are plenty of practising homosexuals in the world who do not contract diseases. Paying The Price For Supporting Homosexuality\/Lesbianism Korang admitted that civil society organizations aren\u2019t speaking clearly for the rights of homosexuals because there is a fear of being branded. \u201cI believe in Ghana it\u2019s difficult to get civil society organized to come out and say, \u2018We support homosexuality\u2019, because the fear is they are likely to be associated with it,\u201d he said. Meanwhile, homosexuals themselves can only sit and wait for this latest flashpoint in the debate to run its course, whatever that may be. \u201cNow that all this noise is going on, we are in hell,\u201d said Afful. \u201cWe are going through hell. We meet and we tell ourselves it\u2019s no more safe,\u201d Afful lamented. STORY BY William Yaw Owusu <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-470704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nHomosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration? - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Homosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration? - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"The Raging Debate The issue of whether people have a right to practise homosexuality or lesbianism in Ghana has aroused mixed feelings, with a vocal public majority clearly against the practice. Prominent public officials and religious bodies have come out to denounce the practice in no uncertain terms, and homosexuals are claiming random violence at the hands of the public. Human rights organizations, meanwhile, have not come together with a unified voice on the issue, even though most lawyers are of the opinion that their rights should not be violated. A section of the Criminal Code forbidding \u201cunnatural carnal knowledge\u201d is popularly interpreted as anti-homosexuality. However, those who practise the act insist they are Ghanaians and therefore, they deserve the same constitutional protections afforded their compatriots. Hillary Afful, 26, from Accra is openly a gay and recounts a life-story of ostracization. \u201cMy father didn\u2019t seem to understand that his only son is behaving like a gay,\u201d Afful told Daily Guide, in an interview granted on condition of his picture not being printed. \u201cMy father would always say, \u2018he\u2019s not my blood\u2019.\u201d The Christians\u2019 Position Religious bodies have stated blunt positions. Homosexuality and lesbianism are abominations, they warn, and will bring the wrath of God upon Ghana, making reference to Sodom and Gomorrah. \u201cThe homosexual issue is becoming a problem, as our youth always emulate the lifestyle of the Western world, whether good or bad,\u201d said Reverend Fred Deegbe, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, during a July 18 news conference. \u201cIn Ghana, we have witnessed gay marriages, and because these went unchecked, the homosexual community had even wanted to host a global conference on homosexuality. We as a Christian community in Ghana totally condemn this as an unnatural and ungodly act and call on all religious bodies and organizations, traditional leaders and all decent-loving Ghanaians to join this campaign.\u201d The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt. Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey, thinks that homosexuality and lesbianism could \u201coverride our cultural norms and values,\u201d and said \u201cit is a spiritual disease\u201d, the sufferers of which need \u201cspiritual cleansing\u201d. Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina, chairman of the Church of Pentecost, struck a similar note, saying his organization is less concerned with advising government than promoting redemption. But Rt. Rev. Matthias Modedues-Badohu, presiding bishop of the Anglican Church and bishop of Ho, said the act should be condemned. \u201cWe speak against acts that go against the word of God,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is abnormal and not good. Our objective is to condemn it so that people will not get involved.\u201d Several Christian leaders warned they would mobilize their congregations against politicians and political parties who defend homosexuality and lesbianism. \u201cWe Ghanaians, and for that matter Africans, cherish our rich and strong values on issues such as homosexuality,\u201d said Rev. Deegbe, adding, \u201cAnd we must not allow any one or group of people to impose what is acceptable in their culture on us in the name of human rights.\u201d Even though Ghana is a secular state, the population of Christians far outweighs that of other religious groups. Over 60 percent of the population is said to be Christian and the threats from the faith must be worrying to political parties and their interests. The Muslim Perspective The Muslim leadership has been very swift in condemning homosexuality as well. Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam of Ghana, warned homosexuals will face the wrath of Allah. \u201cOur country is on track for creating a better society, better living standards and better quality of lives devoid of poverty and illiteracy for its citizenry, if we reject this undignified and immoral act that is not even practiced by animals in the jungle,\u201d he said. Maulvi Dr. Wahab Adam, ameer and missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, said homosexuality is not \u201ca natural trait of man, but rather a habit which was acquired by some people who were confined for a long time without access to the opposite sex\u201d. The clergy from L to R: Rev. Nana Anyani Boadum, Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina, Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, Rt. Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey and Rt. Rev. Matthias Modedues-Badohu He believes strongly that homosexuality and lesbianism cause HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and says, \u201cIt also runs counter to the natural order of creation.\u201d Government\u2019s Hesitancy The John Mills administration is yet to make an official position on homosexuality, despite numerous calls from religious leaders for it to come out with more stringent laws. President Mills reportedly went haywire when the Ghanaian Times carried a story on July 12, with the banner headline: \u2018We\u2019ll stop the Gays \u2013 President\u2019. The President personally telephoned the acting editor of the state-owned paper, to reprimand him over the story, even though the story was originally a Ghana News Agency item. Western Region Minister Paul Evans Aidoo appeared to have heightened the debate recently, when he ordered the arrest of homosexuals in the Western Region. On July 20, the minister said that security agencies, including the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), had been ordered to make the arrests. \u201cThe security agencies, including the BNI, are on the ground,\u201d he said on radio. \u201cThey are trying to see if people are practicing it. We even have volunteers who are on the ground studying the situation and providing us with information and we have also asked landlords to assist us to apprehend them. \u201cWe want to get rid of these people from the society. We want to get them so that we can test the strength of our laws.\u201d CHRAJ As Human Rights Protector The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the independent body constitutionally mandated to protect the rights of all persons, irrespective of status, does not want to be drawn into the debate. \u201cThe commission is not taking a stance on the (unnatural carnal knowledge) law,\u201d Richard Quayson, deputy commissioner of CHRAJ tells Daily Guide. \u201cAs far as the commission is concerned, all persons are entitled to protection under the laws of the country. And therefore we treat everyone equally under the law. The law does not allow anybody to take the law in his hands.\u201d \u201cIf a homosexual lodges a mob-justice complaint with the CHRAJ, Quayson said, an investigation will be launched\u201d. Civil Society Organizations And NGOs The position taken by Amnesty International seems neutral. \u201cOur position is simply that we do not either support or stand against it,\u201d said Lawrence Amesu, director of the Ghana chapter. \u201cFor us, it is an individual choice, and even if a person decides to be a gay or lesbian, they should still enjoy their human rights.\u201d Daniel Asare Korang, programs manager with Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC), is much more vocal. \u201cWe are committed to promoting the rights of homosexuals in Ghana,\u201d he said. He said HRAC has a \u2018healthy relationship\u2019 with the gay community in Accra and went ahead to disclose that HRAC secured funding from the UN to research the relationship between police and homosexuals. He said the report is not yet public. Mr. Korang revealed HRAC was very active during the constitution review process, when it was able to bring together several homosexuals to present their position before a panel committee of the Constitution Review Commission. \u201cA case was made to include sexual orientation as a forbidden cause for discrimination in the current constitution,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing like that in the Constitution.\u201d If sexual orientation becomes a constitutional ground for non-discrimination, it would be a legal landmark in the debate. Individual Views There are some pro-rights voices appearing in the media, such as lawyer and lecturer Ernest Kofi Abotsi, who is with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and Professor S.T. Sai, former presidential advisor on HIV\/AIDS. Appearing recently on Joy FM, Abotsi insisted that the current constitution protects against arrest for a breach of morality.\u00a0 He also said the \u201cunnatural canal knowledge\u201d law is ambiguous and not necessarily a reference to homosexuality. Prof. Sai, a population health expert, waded into the debate on Citi FM. He held that homosexuals have the right to practise their sexual preference within their constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy and autonomy, so far as they do not infringe on the rights of others or break any laws. \u201cThere are constitutional provisions which talk about autonomy,\u201d he said. \u201cSo why should what two people do in their privacy, without confronting anybody, be subject to the law when the law itself has got all of these provisions? It is really not appreciating what the law provides, or we are limiting the interpretation of the law to suit ourselves or our circumstances, rather than making it free for people to enjoy the provisions of the constitution?\u201d He said he himself would not practise homosexuality, but he is not prepared to judge anyone who does. \u201cEspecially as a doctor,\u201d he said, \u201cI don\u2019t know whether there is a biological basis for it, a psychological basis for it, or simply a person\u2019s choice. I don\u2019t know.\u201d Health Hazards of Homosexuality The health effect of homosexuality has been bandied about the debate. According to health experts, risky sex practices greatly increase the incidence of serious and incurable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including hepatitis, HPV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and AIDS. Dr. Akwasi Osei, Chief Psychiatrist at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, in a recent media interview described homosexuals and lesbians as suffering from \u2018mental illness.\u2019 \u201cCondemning and stigmatizing the people involved in the act will not help us,\u201d he was quoted as saying. \u201cRather, we should deliberate more on the issue and think of a way to let them know that they are not well and that they could be treated.\u201d When Afful was 15, he said he became a prostitute. He was rejected by most of his family and, with the death of his accepting grandmother, he felt hopeless. He said, \u201cI contracted a lot of infections\u201d like \u201cgenital warts, gonorrhea and all that\u201d. However, those kinds of infections are often more associated with risky sex \u2013 such as prostitution \u2013 than homosexual sex. There are plenty of practising homosexuals in the world who do not contract diseases. Paying The Price For Supporting Homosexuality\/Lesbianism Korang admitted that civil society organizations aren\u2019t speaking clearly for the rights of homosexuals because there is a fear of being branded. \u201cI believe in Ghana it\u2019s difficult to get civil society organized to come out and say, \u2018We support homosexuality\u2019, because the fear is they are likely to be associated with it,\u201d he said. Meanwhile, homosexuals themselves can only sit and wait for this latest flashpoint in the debate to run its course, whatever that may be. \u201cNow that all this noise is going on, we are in hell,\u201d said Afful. \u201cWe are going through hell. We meet and we tell ourselves it\u2019s no more safe,\u201d Afful lamented. STORY BY William Yaw Owusu\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"Homosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration?\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-07-30T09:45:04+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/\"},\"wordCount\":1832,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/\",\"name\":\"Homosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration? - Ghanamma.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-07-30T09:45:04+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/\",\"name\":\"Ghanamma.com\",\"description\":\"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Homosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration? - Ghanamma.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Homosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration? - Ghanamma.com","twitter_description":"The Raging Debate The issue of whether people have a right to practise homosexuality or lesbianism in Ghana has aroused mixed feelings, with a vocal public majority clearly against the practice. Prominent public officials and religious bodies have come out to denounce the practice in no uncertain terms, and homosexuals are claiming random violence at the hands of the public. Human rights organizations, meanwhile, have not come together with a unified voice on the issue, even though most lawyers are of the opinion that their rights should not be violated. A section of the Criminal Code forbidding \u201cunnatural carnal knowledge\u201d is popularly interpreted as anti-homosexuality. However, those who practise the act insist they are Ghanaians and therefore, they deserve the same constitutional protections afforded their compatriots. Hillary Afful, 26, from Accra is openly a gay and recounts a life-story of ostracization. \u201cMy father didn\u2019t seem to understand that his only son is behaving like a gay,\u201d Afful told Daily Guide, in an interview granted on condition of his picture not being printed. \u201cMy father would always say, \u2018he\u2019s not my blood\u2019.\u201d The Christians\u2019 Position Religious bodies have stated blunt positions. Homosexuality and lesbianism are abominations, they warn, and will bring the wrath of God upon Ghana, making reference to Sodom and Gomorrah. \u201cThe homosexual issue is becoming a problem, as our youth always emulate the lifestyle of the Western world, whether good or bad,\u201d said Reverend Fred Deegbe, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, during a July 18 news conference. \u201cIn Ghana, we have witnessed gay marriages, and because these went unchecked, the homosexual community had even wanted to host a global conference on homosexuality. We as a Christian community in Ghana totally condemn this as an unnatural and ungodly act and call on all religious bodies and organizations, traditional leaders and all decent-loving Ghanaians to join this campaign.\u201d The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt. Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey, thinks that homosexuality and lesbianism could \u201coverride our cultural norms and values,\u201d and said \u201cit is a spiritual disease\u201d, the sufferers of which need \u201cspiritual cleansing\u201d. Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina, chairman of the Church of Pentecost, struck a similar note, saying his organization is less concerned with advising government than promoting redemption. But Rt. Rev. Matthias Modedues-Badohu, presiding bishop of the Anglican Church and bishop of Ho, said the act should be condemned. \u201cWe speak against acts that go against the word of God,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is abnormal and not good. Our objective is to condemn it so that people will not get involved.\u201d Several Christian leaders warned they would mobilize their congregations against politicians and political parties who defend homosexuality and lesbianism. \u201cWe Ghanaians, and for that matter Africans, cherish our rich and strong values on issues such as homosexuality,\u201d said Rev. Deegbe, adding, \u201cAnd we must not allow any one or group of people to impose what is acceptable in their culture on us in the name of human rights.\u201d Even though Ghana is a secular state, the population of Christians far outweighs that of other religious groups. Over 60 percent of the population is said to be Christian and the threats from the faith must be worrying to political parties and their interests. The Muslim Perspective The Muslim leadership has been very swift in condemning homosexuality as well. Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam of Ghana, warned homosexuals will face the wrath of Allah. \u201cOur country is on track for creating a better society, better living standards and better quality of lives devoid of poverty and illiteracy for its citizenry, if we reject this undignified and immoral act that is not even practiced by animals in the jungle,\u201d he said. Maulvi Dr. Wahab Adam, ameer and missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, said homosexuality is not \u201ca natural trait of man, but rather a habit which was acquired by some people who were confined for a long time without access to the opposite sex\u201d. The clergy from L to R: Rev. Nana Anyani Boadum, Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina, Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, Rt. Rev. Professor Emmanuel Martey and Rt. Rev. Matthias Modedues-Badohu He believes strongly that homosexuality and lesbianism cause HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and says, \u201cIt also runs counter to the natural order of creation.\u201d Government\u2019s Hesitancy The John Mills administration is yet to make an official position on homosexuality, despite numerous calls from religious leaders for it to come out with more stringent laws. President Mills reportedly went haywire when the Ghanaian Times carried a story on July 12, with the banner headline: \u2018We\u2019ll stop the Gays \u2013 President\u2019. The President personally telephoned the acting editor of the state-owned paper, to reprimand him over the story, even though the story was originally a Ghana News Agency item. Western Region Minister Paul Evans Aidoo appeared to have heightened the debate recently, when he ordered the arrest of homosexuals in the Western Region. On July 20, the minister said that security agencies, including the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), had been ordered to make the arrests. \u201cThe security agencies, including the BNI, are on the ground,\u201d he said on radio. \u201cThey are trying to see if people are practicing it. We even have volunteers who are on the ground studying the situation and providing us with information and we have also asked landlords to assist us to apprehend them. \u201cWe want to get rid of these people from the society. We want to get them so that we can test the strength of our laws.\u201d CHRAJ As Human Rights Protector The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the independent body constitutionally mandated to protect the rights of all persons, irrespective of status, does not want to be drawn into the debate. \u201cThe commission is not taking a stance on the (unnatural carnal knowledge) law,\u201d Richard Quayson, deputy commissioner of CHRAJ tells Daily Guide. \u201cAs far as the commission is concerned, all persons are entitled to protection under the laws of the country. And therefore we treat everyone equally under the law. The law does not allow anybody to take the law in his hands.\u201d \u201cIf a homosexual lodges a mob-justice complaint with the CHRAJ, Quayson said, an investigation will be launched\u201d. Civil Society Organizations And NGOs The position taken by Amnesty International seems neutral. \u201cOur position is simply that we do not either support or stand against it,\u201d said Lawrence Amesu, director of the Ghana chapter. \u201cFor us, it is an individual choice, and even if a person decides to be a gay or lesbian, they should still enjoy their human rights.\u201d Daniel Asare Korang, programs manager with Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC), is much more vocal. \u201cWe are committed to promoting the rights of homosexuals in Ghana,\u201d he said. He said HRAC has a \u2018healthy relationship\u2019 with the gay community in Accra and went ahead to disclose that HRAC secured funding from the UN to research the relationship between police and homosexuals. He said the report is not yet public. Mr. Korang revealed HRAC was very active during the constitution review process, when it was able to bring together several homosexuals to present their position before a panel committee of the Constitution Review Commission. \u201cA case was made to include sexual orientation as a forbidden cause for discrimination in the current constitution,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing like that in the Constitution.\u201d If sexual orientation becomes a constitutional ground for non-discrimination, it would be a legal landmark in the debate. Individual Views There are some pro-rights voices appearing in the media, such as lawyer and lecturer Ernest Kofi Abotsi, who is with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and Professor S.T. Sai, former presidential advisor on HIV\/AIDS. Appearing recently on Joy FM, Abotsi insisted that the current constitution protects against arrest for a breach of morality.\u00a0 He also said the \u201cunnatural canal knowledge\u201d law is ambiguous and not necessarily a reference to homosexuality. Prof. Sai, a population health expert, waded into the debate on Citi FM. He held that homosexuals have the right to practise their sexual preference within their constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy and autonomy, so far as they do not infringe on the rights of others or break any laws. \u201cThere are constitutional provisions which talk about autonomy,\u201d he said. \u201cSo why should what two people do in their privacy, without confronting anybody, be subject to the law when the law itself has got all of these provisions? It is really not appreciating what the law provides, or we are limiting the interpretation of the law to suit ourselves or our circumstances, rather than making it free for people to enjoy the provisions of the constitution?\u201d He said he himself would not practise homosexuality, but he is not prepared to judge anyone who does. \u201cEspecially as a doctor,\u201d he said, \u201cI don\u2019t know whether there is a biological basis for it, a psychological basis for it, or simply a person\u2019s choice. I don\u2019t know.\u201d Health Hazards of Homosexuality The health effect of homosexuality has been bandied about the debate. According to health experts, risky sex practices greatly increase the incidence of serious and incurable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including hepatitis, HPV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and AIDS. Dr. Akwasi Osei, Chief Psychiatrist at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, in a recent media interview described homosexuals and lesbians as suffering from \u2018mental illness.\u2019 \u201cCondemning and stigmatizing the people involved in the act will not help us,\u201d he was quoted as saying. \u201cRather, we should deliberate more on the issue and think of a way to let them know that they are not well and that they could be treated.\u201d When Afful was 15, he said he became a prostitute. He was rejected by most of his family and, with the death of his accepting grandmother, he felt hopeless. He said, \u201cI contracted a lot of infections\u201d like \u201cgenital warts, gonorrhea and all that\u201d. However, those kinds of infections are often more associated with risky sex \u2013 such as prostitution \u2013 than homosexual sex. There are plenty of practising homosexuals in the world who do not contract diseases. Paying The Price For Supporting Homosexuality\/Lesbianism Korang admitted that civil society organizations aren\u2019t speaking clearly for the rights of homosexuals because there is a fear of being branded. \u201cI believe in Ghana it\u2019s difficult to get civil society organized to come out and say, \u2018We support homosexuality\u2019, because the fear is they are likely to be associated with it,\u201d he said. Meanwhile, homosexuals themselves can only sit and wait for this latest flashpoint in the debate to run its course, whatever that may be. \u201cNow that all this noise is going on, we are in hell,\u201d said Afful. \u201cWe are going through hell. We meet and we tell ourselves it\u2019s no more safe,\u201d Afful lamented. STORY BY William Yaw Owusu","twitter_image":"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg","twitter_creator":"@ghanamma","twitter_site":"@ghanamma","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"Homosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration?","datePublished":"2011-07-30T09:45:04+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/"},"wordCount":1832,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/","name":"Homosexuality In Ghana: A Right Or An Aberration? - Ghanamma.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg","datePublished":"2011-07-30T09:45:04+00:00","author":{"@id":""},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/30\/homosexuality-in-ghana-a-right-or-an-aberration\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.dailyguideghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gays.jpg"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/","name":"Ghanamma.com","description":"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/470704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=470704"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/470704\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=470704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=470704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=470704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}