Features
Ghana: Audacity of homosexuals
Homosexual conduct is criminalised by Ghana’s criminal laws.
Section 104 (1) (b) of Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) abhors consensual same-sex intercourse and prohibits it.
So, it is very clear that consensual same-sex relations is a criminal offence within the meaning of Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act.
The Sexual Offences Act also makes illegal, other sexual acts performed by heterosexuals, thus, suggesting that it is a criminal offence, punishable by the laws of Ghana, for a male to penetrate the anus (sodomy) or mouth of a female or a male with his penis.
Indeed, the only mode of sexual intercourse which does not offend Ghanaian law, is sexual intercourse through the vagina by penile penetration.
What then is homosexuality? It is a romantic attraction or sexual behaviour between members of same-sex or gender.
What is lesbianism too? It is also called sapphism or female homosexuality. It is the tendency of a human female to be emotionally and usually, sexually attracted to other females.
What is gay? Gay is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. It also refers to the community, practices and cultures associated with homosexuality.
Is it natural as to be same-sex attracted? According to the Australian Psychological Society, being same-sex attracted is a natural as being opposite-sex attracted, and that it is not possible to force someone to change their sexuality through any psychological or medical means.
Who is a bisexual? It is romantic or sexual attraction towards both males and females or to more than one sex or gender.
And who is a heterosexual? A person sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex
Across cultures, most people are heterosexuals, with a minority of people having homosexual or bisexual orientation.
According to proponents of gayism, however, some people have difficulty accepting others who are different, whether it is because of their race, sex, sexuality or religion.
They claim that if you are being harassed, judged or made to feel bad about yourself by someone else because of your sexuality, remember that there is nothing wrong with you; and that the problem is the other person’s ignorance and intolerance.
The Humanist Association of Ghana says,” tonnes of research data and anthropological work inform that semi-sex behaviour existed in pre-colonial and pre-Islamic sub-Saharan Africa.
Painfully, we are now witnessing the intrusion of rotten and stinking European and American culture of homosexuality across the African continent.
The Humanist Association of Ghana contends that, “the wave of homophobia currently sweeping our country and large parts of the African continent is the result of works of bigoted homophobic Judeao-Christian missionaries.”
Others, however, vehemently disagree, insisting that “homosexuality today has become a cult; a club and a foundation.”
And some people are promoting and pumping billions of dollars into homosexuality, so that such unusual and abnormal behaviour, should be accepted by force by the world.
This is the strength of the danger and for which matter we must stand up against it as a nation.
It is instructive to recall that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Rights Ghana, (LGBTQI) as they call themselves, opened their office in Accra on January 31, 2021, with the express intent to spread its tentacles in the country.
The European Union in Ghana has openly thrown its full weight behind the LGBTQI+ promoters in the country, claiming that equality, tolerance and respect for one another are core values of the European Union.
Strong opposition against the emerging LGBTQI+ community in the country is gaining tap-roots. They include the clergy, traditional rulers and teacher unions. They strongly argue that homosexuality is not a rights issue.
They are, therefore, urging the state to disallow the LGBTQI+ community from operating in the country.
The National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values, must be commended for its relentless battle against the planting of LGBTQI+ seeds on the fertile soil of Ghana.
The coalition advocates against the activities of LGBTQI+ movement in Ghana. It has called for the office to be closed.
Mr Moses Foh-Amoaning, Executive Secretary of the coalition says; “the existence of a LGBTQI+ office in Accra is illegal and an affront to the laws , traditions and customs of Ghana.”
Foh-Amoaning says, “Ghana has not signed any international law permitting the promotion of LGBTQI+ activities in the country,” stressing that “any attempt by anyone to promote the activities of the group amounts to illegality.”
Foh-Amoaning has chastised the international community in Ghana, “for promoting an act which is alien to the customs and traditions of Ghanaians and which infringes on the sovereignty of our state.”
“The actions of the LGBTQI+ movement is completely at variance with the laws of God as contained in the Holy Bible, concerning God’s plan of creation and the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman and as ordained by God,” Rev. Professor Paul Frimpong Manso, President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, has said in a press statement he signed and issued in Accra on February 22, 2021.
As a nation, if we succumb to European and American homosexual pressures; if we compromise our consciences; if we mortgage our traditions; then history and posterity will deal bitterly with the current crop of our leaders.
Wherever we find ourselves as leaders in our society we must search our consciences clearly over the raging issue of homosexuality.
For, if we condone the emerging fire of homosexuality and betray the sacred trust reposed in us by our people, we will have done more harm to Ghana than the European imperialists, colonialists and missionaries did to the Gold Coast.
If we debase our nation’s integrity and traditions and barter them away; we will have become worse than the worst of the misguided chauvinistic imperialists.
Refreshingly, however, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, repeatedly says, “the activities of the LGBTQI+ in the country will never be legalised” under his presidency.
By G Frank Asmah
I experienced something on Monday, June 15, that really frustrated me. I had to go to the ministries but I could not get up early that day so I decided to pick a taxi and get to the Tuba Junction.
When I got there I realised that Traffic had built up from the Toll Booth towards Accra. After a while I got a Taxi and it was when we got to a certain spot on the road, that I realised why there was a traffic jam.
There is a short stretch of the road where each time it rains heavily, loose material run down the hill onto the road, blocking one side of the road. Vehicles from Kasoa to Accra are then forced to move into one of the lanes of those going towards Kasoa from Accra.
The two lane road from Accra to Kasoa becomes a single carriage way. That was the reason for the traffic jam from the toll booth onwards.
This has been a perineal problem and yet, no permanent solution has been found till date. The area falls under Ga South and even though, a new MCE has taken over, the technocrats are still there and so the problem is not new to them.
There is therefore no excuse for the inability of the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly to resolving the problem on that stretch of the road. Apart from the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly, another institution that must be held accountable is the Ghana Highways Authority.
The Highways Authority cannot say they are unaware of this issue. The fact that the problem falls within the area of responsibility of the Ga South Assembly, does not relieve the Ghana Highways Authority, of their responsibility of ensuring that our highways are maintained in a motorable state at all times.
A collaboration between the Ghana Highways Authority and The Ga South Municipal Assembly is required for a permanent resolution of the problem.
There was another traffic jam at a place called Atala about 250 metres to the traffic light at Old Barrier as a result of an issue similar to the one close to the toll booth, that I talked about earlier.
When we got to Weija junction, we encountered another traffic jam. The cause of this jam was a bad condition of road about 80 metres from the traffic light at Ga South Hospital heading towards Accra.
Due to the bad nature at that section of the road, vehicles are compelled to slow down resulting in a traffic jam stretching all the way to Weija Junction.
I started wondering if that short stretch of road cannot be sorted on one Sunday when traffic is usually light. When we got to the traffic light at Odorkor, there was another issue.
When the traffic light shows green, there is a slow down because there is a big pothole or should I say manhole in the outer lane, right at the traffic light. Vehicles in the outer lane are compelled to swerve into the second lane thereby causing a traffic to slow down and resulting in a traffic jam.
It is very important to take into account the effect of traffic jam on the national economy. If we are able to assess the value of the loss to the economy of the nation, I believe the issue of traffic jam will be prioritised.
Imagine persons working at various Government Organisations like Registrar General’s Department, Ghana Ports and Habours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, CEPS etc. and lives at Kasoa and whose job is to collect revenue for the state and is held up in traffic.
Just imagine the effect their lateness to work will have on the economy if you consider the delays in say clearing of goods at the port and as a result traders cannot sell their goods for government to generate the required taxes.
Let us deal with the traffic jams on our streets to promote economic growth. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Mortality is an inherent aspect of life, a universal experience that has sparked philosophical, theological, and scientific inquiry throughout human history.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of mortality, acknowledging the complexity of the topic and the diverse perspectives surrounding it.
The biological imperative
From a biological standpoint, death is a natural part of the life cycle. It serves as a mechanism for the evolution of species, allowing for the passing on of genetic material and the adaptation to environmental changes.
Evolutionary perspective: Death allows for the recycling of resources, promoting the survival and adaptation of species.
Life span and senescence: Cellular aging and the limitations of biological systems contribute to mortality.
Philosophical and existential perspectives
Existentialism: Emphasises individual freedom and responsibility in the face of mortality.
Meaning and purpose: The finite nature of life can prompt individuals to seek meaning and purpose.
The human condition: Mortality is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, shaping our perceptions and values.
Cultural and spiritual views
Afterlife and spirituality: Many cultures and religions believe in an afterlife or spiritual continuation.
Rituals and mourning: Cultural practices surrounding death reflect the significance of mortality in human experience.
Legacy and remembrance: The impact of one’s life can transcend mortality.
Ethical considerations
End-of-life care: Ethical debates surround issues like euthanasia, assisted dying, and palliative care.
Quality of life: Balancing the value of life with the quality of life is a complex ethical issue.
Resource allocation: Societal decisions about healthcare and resource distribution involve considerations of mortality.
Psychological impact
Grief and loss: The experience of mortality can evoke profound emotional responses.
Fear and anxiety: The awareness of mortality can lead to existential anxiety.
Appreciation and gratitude: Recognising mortality can foster appreciation for life.
Conclusion
Mortality is a multifaceted aspect of human existence, influencing how we live, relate, and find meaning. Understanding and acknowledging mortality can prompt deeper reflections on life and our place in the world.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
