Muslim youth group blasts Inusah Fuseini, Mahama Ayariga over LGBTQ+ support

A Muslim youth group has condemned lawyer Inusah Fuseini and MP Mahama Ayariga over their "support" for Gay rights, demanding an apology from the two Muslim politicians.

The Coalition of Progressive Muslim Youth Organizations-Ghana says the former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central Constituency and the current MP for Bawku Central Constituency have per their "utterances and position" betrayed  the tenets of Islamic.

It says the two Muslim MPs of the opposition National Democratic Congress to have made "damming statements that suggested that, Gays have a right and therefore, cracking down on them to close their office was in violation of the law".

Both politicians are Lawyers and they are reported to have made utterances that placed their professions above their Islamic beliefs.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the group expressed fear over the future of the Muslim youth in the country and urged the Muslim leaders In the country to call on the two MPs to apologise.

"It is significant that, as role models, they should have conducted themselves in circumspection so as not to inadvertently feed our muslim youths with wrong information about their religion," read the statement issued on the 10th of this month.

"By their utterances, many young Muslims are likely to assume that, the practice of homosexuality is both moral and legal, contrary to Islamic ethics and the laws of Ghana."

Read the full statement below

COALITION OF PROGRESSIVE MUSLIM YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS-GHANA.

10th March, 2021

TO: ALL MEDIA HOUSES

HON. INUSAH FUSEINI AND MAHAMA AYARIGA MUST APOLOGISE TO GHANAIAN MUSLIMS.

We the above mentioned Muslim organisation wish to call on the Muslim Umma to collectively condemn two of our Muslim politicians, Lawyer Inusah Fuseini and Hon. Mahama Ayariga for their utterances and position that sought to support Gay Rights in Ghana.

These individuals who are both celebrated lawyers separately made these distasteful statements;

Inusah Fuseini, in an interview with MyNewsGh.com on Okay FM on Monday the 22nd February, 2021 made some damming statements that suggested that, Gays have a right and therefore, cracking down on them to close their office was in violation of the law.

Hon. Mahama Ayariga on the other hand was assertive on the floor of parliament and also said the following;

"Per the constitution, Gays have the freedom of speech and thus can express their unpopular opinions without facing backlash or consequences"

He added that they also have the right to advocate for a position be it popular or unpopular.

The Bawku Central MP said, it was unconstitutional for the police to close the offices of the LGBTQ+ community in Ashongman, Accra".

As lawyers, we are aware of the binding ethics of the profession but we thought as muslims, they owed it a duty to uphold the tenet of Islam higher and above their legal and professional ethics. In other words, we thought they should know that, Islam and its injunctions take precedence over any other professional obligations and therefore should have considered that obligation before making those "statements of profanity".

Again, we expected the two Muslim Lawyers to avert their mind to the teachings of the Quraan which frowns on the practice of Homosexuality and further declares it as a grievous sin against Allah.

It is significant that, as role models, they should have conducted themselves in circumspection so as not to inadvertently feed our muslim youths with wrong information about their religion. By their utterances, many young Muslims are likely to assume that, the practice of homosexuality is both moral and legal, contrary to Islamic ethics and the laws of Ghana.

We therefore wish to urge the Muslim Umma to call Inusah Fuseini and Mahama Ayariga to render an unqualified apology to the Muslims of Ghana and the general public for that statement of profanity against Islam. Thank you.

Signed.

1. SHEIKH HUSSEIN MUBARAK (P.R.O. - 0243271894)

2. MOHAMMED YAKUBU (Organizer)

3. ASAANA MAJEED BUKARI (Member-Upper East Region)

4. ALHAJI UMAR FAROUK.(Member-Ashanti Region)

5. IBRAHIM MARWAN (Member-Eastern Region)

6. ABDUL-AZIZ (Member-Western Region)

*Cc:*

1. The National Peace Council

2. The Muslim Council

3. The Christian Council