The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, says that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) supports the position of the party’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, on LGBTQ+ issues.
Mr. Mahama, addressing the matter during a breakfast meeting with the Clergy in Koforidua on Wednesday, January 31, stated that his faith is against same-sex marriages, emphasizing the natural order of creation.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, with Umaru Sanda Amadu, the vociferous MP stated that any decision the party’s flagbearer takes on LGBTQ+ is a reflection of the party’s stance on such matters.
The MP noted that both past and current leadership of the party support the proponents of the anti-gay bill.
“The constitution of the NDC states that when we have a flagbearer or president, he assumes leadership of the party. So, when the former president speaks today, he stated that his opinion is personal. I believe that also reflects, to a large extent, the position of the party.”
“If I consider the behaviour of the party in Parliament and the direction that the Minority caucus, the NDC group, has received from the leadership of the party, from the time of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu [former Minority Leader] to Dr. Ato Cassiel Forson [Minority Leader], I believe it is safe to assume that this is the position of the NDC on this matter,” Sam George stated.
He indicated that the bill on the promotion of proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values, also known as the anti-gay bill, is currently at the 60% consideration stage.
The MP for Ningo-Prampram expressed hope that the bill will eventually pass.
“We are almost 60% through the consideration process. Hopefully, in another two weeks of parliamentary work when we resume, we should complete consideration. The real work is where we are now, and I believe in another two weeks, we will be done.”
The bill, which aims to criminalize LGBT activities, has sparked controversy since its introduction in Parliament by Samuel George and some other lawmakers.
Although the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, assured that the anti-gay bill would be passed before the house adjourned for the Christmas break, it was unable to conclude the clause-by-clause amendments of the bill at the consideration stage.
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Meanwhile, Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, has expressed deep concerns about the prevailing rate of stigmatization against persons living with HIV.
The latest report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) indicated that 78 percent of women and 72% of men who have heard of HIV or AIDS expressed discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV.
According to the report, respondents with discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV are those who say that they would not buy fresh vegetables from a shopkeeper or vendor if they knew that person had HIV or who say that children living with HIV should not be allowed to attend school with children who do not have HIV.
He described, as ‘startling and sad’, the emerging report on HIV by GSS, and decried the misconceptions that are fuelling the high level of discrimination.
“It’s startling and also quite sad that more than 78% of Ghanaians should discriminate against persons living with HIV, merely based on misconceptions about the disease. You may wonder whether these people who are stigmatizing persons living with HIV actually know their HIV status. Some of them may have HIV without even knowing because they have never tested their HIV status. The misconceptions are actually driving this high level of stigma and discrimination,” the Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission lamented in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM.
Dr. Atuahene clarified that one cannot be infected with HIV by eating foods that have been contaminated with the blood or bodily fluid of a person living with HIV.
He called for stakeholder collaboration to correct the misconceptions surrounding persons living with HIV, stating that the virus cannot survive outside the body.
“We all have to work together to correct these misconceptions because if somebody thinks that a person selling vegetables or fruits, and living with HIV may end up contaminating the fruits and vegetables. Therefore, they may end up getting HIV by buying from such a person. That is incorrect because there’s no way this person’s body blood or bodily fluid can get into the food. Even if it gets into the food item, it’s impossible to get HIV from merely eating contaminated food. It’s not possible,” he stated.
He also described it as ‘false’ that one can get HIV through a mosquito bite.
“People still believe that one can get infected through a mosquito bite, it’s also another misconception, it’s a false belief. No research has proven that mosquitoes can transmit HIV,” he said.
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