Based on reports from MyInfoGh, the newly opened LGBTQ community space in Ghana has now been shut down based on orders by the president, Nana Addo Akufo-Addo. A combined team of heavily armed police accompanied by armed National Security officials reportedly stormed the LGBTQ building and ordered all operations and activities ceased immediately with occupants to vacate premises, MyInfoGH reports. LGBTQ+ Rights Ghana, officially opened the space on the 31st of January with the Australian High Commissioner, Danish Ambassador, and delegates from the European Union present.
A couple of weeks ago the EU in Ghana participated in the opening of the new community space of the @LGBTRightsGhana.
Equality, tolerance and respect for each other are core values of the EU. The EU supports civil society organisations promoting #LGBTIQ rights 🇪🇺🏳️🌈.#EU4LGBT pic.twitter.com/1BLgnoWDQB
— European Union Ghana (@EuropeInGhana) February 16, 2021
The opening of the centre unleashed a new wave of homophobic rhetoric around the country. Moses Foh Amoaning, the Executive Secretary of the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values confirmed the closure of the centre. He had earlier called on the government to close down the newly opened LGBT office in Tesano (The recent press release from LGBT+ Rights Ghana denies that the office is located at Tesano).
On Friday, while on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana, Sam George, the MP for Ningo Prampram District, charged the Foreign Affairs Ministry to deport the European Union ambassadors who declared their unflinching support to LGBTQ+ Ghanaians. “The EU Commission rep should be given 48-hours to leave our country if he is not ready to respect our laws. You cannot have any foreign diplomat come to Ghana and disrespect the laws of our country because if we go to their country we are bound by their laws and the same applies here,” the MP said. “We are becoming a joke if the EU has put up a tweet like this and after 6-days the EU rep is there drinking tea with government officials and doing business with them. Will the EU dare put up a tweet against any foreign democracy and not be answering questions by now?” This week, there have also been calls in the media by religious leaders in Ghana to shut down the centre. “Catholic Bishops’ Conference demands a closedown of LGBTQ+ office,” one newspaper headline reads. The minister of Information designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah also proposed that the nation needs to set up laws that will make advocacy of LGBTI activities illegal.
New week and this is how we doing in the Ghanaian media. #TogetherWeBuild pic.twitter.com/GrE59MGJRO
— LGBT+ Rights Ghana (@LGBTRightsGhana) February 22, 2021
But LGBT Rights Ghana has released guidelines for LGBTQ+ people in the country, advising them not to panic. “LGBT+ Rights Ghana challenges every queer person not to panic but rather be strong and stand up as a warrior. We are soldiers of change and must not fear defeat. When the battle gets tough, the victory is near,” the note on the top of the infographics reads.
Dear LGBTQ+ community in Ghana…#DoNotPanic #TogetherWeBuild pic.twitter.com/xFREPZgcG5
— LGBT+ Rights Ghana (@LGBTRightsGhana) February 22, 2021
“We are here, we are queer and we are not going anywhere,” the press statement from LGBT+ Right Ghana reads.
To support LGBT Rights Ghana, donate to their GoFundMe fundraiser here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/lgbt-rights-ghana-community-support-fund
