Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Arimiyawo Shaibu
Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Arimiyawo Shaibu, has stated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo should have been more assertive and clearer about his stance on the anti-LGBTI+ Bill during his interaction with the American Vice president Kamala Harris.
He argued that the president was careful with his words because his response to
Read full articlea question from a New York Times reporter was more of a diplomatic response than an expression of the president's true stance on the subject matter.
The spokesperson explained that President Akufo-Addo missed the chance to assert the view of the nation.
“I was expecting that even on this particular case which is at the very core of the survival of the family system in both Christianity and Islam and traditional religion, I would have expected him to come up stronger and more definite on the issue,” he said.
Speaking in an interview with Joy News on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, Sheikh Shiabu lauded the Speaker of Parliament for maintaining his promise to the Chief Imam by asserting that he will see to the passing of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 (Anti-LGBTQI bill).
“The President was over-cautious in trying to talk about it, as if not wanting to offend a certain force that is coming from somewhere because I have heard the president speak forthrightly with a strong tone about certain things like some of his encounters with Macron.
“I am very comfortable with the tone of the speaker and I support and commend him for that.
“I go strongly with the Speaker since he has remained consistent with the tone with which he has spoken against this LGBTQ and also speaking in support of the passing of this anti-LGBTQ bill,” he added.
According to the president, the Chairman of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, informed him of the modification in a recent meeting.
Akufo-Addo further stated that even if the bill is passed, it will still have to be ratified by him.
He made these remarks while addressing the press at the Jubilee House together with the Vice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris, on Monday, March 27, 2023, adding that the modification of the Anti-LGBTQI bill was after the intervention of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame.
That claim of a watered down version of the Bill has been rejected by Sam Nartey George, one of the dozen MPs that sponsored the Bill.
Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Arimiyawo Shaibu
