Gays, Lesbians Go Gospel

INFORMATION REACHING NEWS-ONE indicates that the recent gays and lesbians function at the Royal Gem Theater at East Tanokrom in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, which was ostensibly to hold a midnight bash and take stock of their activities, actually took off with intensive prayers and spirit-filled gospel songs.

The alleged gays and lesbians, who numbered close to 60 and came from Eastern, Ashanti, Central and Western regions, prayed feverishly for divine guidance in their deliberations, after which they sang a series of gospel songs.

Even though the midnight bash, which started at about 8:00 pm, was nearly marred by some residents of East Tanokrom, who descended on the venue to disrupt the programme, the determined participants, sensing danger, entered into intensive prayers and singing of gospel songs, calling on the Lord to deal with their attackers.

According to a reliable NEWS-ONE source, the aggrieved youth were calmed down after the president of the gays and lesbians association, who came from the Ashanti Region, explained to them that the programme was actually a birthday bash and not what they thought.

Briefing the paper on what actually took place, a young man who was present at the programme but pleaded anonymity, noted that after things were normalized, the national executives of the association (NALAG) were introduced including the president, his vice and the chief.

The president was reported to have commended members of the Western region for securing the venue for the second time, but bemoaned the attempt by the youth to disrupt the meeting, hinting that in future, the Habour City would no longer be used as a venue for any future programme.

The source revealed that immediately after the president’s remarks, the floor was open for dancing and distribution of condoms, after which some ‘couples’, both gays and lesbians, were seen entering a secret room, apparently to have sessions of marathon sex.

The Western Regional Police Commander, DCOP Alhaji Hamidu Mahama, confirmed that the report of gay parties in the metropolis had come to his notice.

He said some informants had promised to provide the police command with video evidence to aid them in their investigations, adding that homosexuality was against the laws of Ghana.

When NEWS-ONE interviewed some of the residents of East Tanokrom, they called on the authorities of the metropolis to use all legitimate means to make Sekondi-Takoradi a hostile place for these gays and lesbians and lauded the religious bodies for coming out in time to condemn the acts.

“The practice does not have any space within the Ghanaian cultural context. Although the constitution guarantees freedom of association and assembly, one should not be myopic to think and believe that such a right is absolute.

Congregation in furtherance or perpetuation of an illegality like homosexuality is criminal,” a banker in the area remarked.

Attempts to get the manager of the Royal Gem Theater, whose name was simply given as Eric, for his comment proved futile as the paper met his absence when it visited the theater on three occasions.

Meanwhile, management of the theater had explained on Kyzz Fm in Takoradi, which broke the news and filmed the whole programme, that they did not know that the people who rented the place were going to use it for that programme that Saturday.

Dr. Ronald Sowah, regional HIV/AIDS Coordinator, recently told the media when the story broke that there were about 2000 registered gays in Takoradi alone, stressing that the trend was worrying due to the risks posed to those involved and the society at large.

He said the practice cuts across all age groups and that teenagers were often influenced by material things including money, while most of the adults were in it because of disappointed relationships with female partners.

“As at last year, we learnt about 2000 of them had registered in the metropolis and not all of them attend the meeting at the same time because of stigma, so the number could be higher,” he noted.