Choicenewsonline Your Choice Is Here
Market women at Kodie in the Afigya Kwabre South District of the Ashanti Region were left stunned on Monday, March 29, 2024 when a self-styled bisexual man in the area was seenholding placards to protest against the persecution and intimidating of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) community.
As early as 8:00am on that fateful day which happened to be the Good Friday, the one man protester whose name was given as Patrick A. Aboagye was seen wearing a red T’ shirt and black jeans trouser with a wig on and the lip shinned.
The brave demonstrator was heard appealing to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo not to assent to the anti-gay bill thereby passing it into law.
Whilst many were left stunned, Aboagye moved from one end of the market to the other areas shouting on top of his voice, telling Ghanaians to allow gays and lesbians to have their peace of minds.
“Lesbianism didn’t start from our generation, it started years ago and it will never end so put a stop to this unnecessary intimidations,” he said.
At the main lorry station at Kodie, Dacosta defied all odds and removed some placards with inscriptions like, ‘Mr. President don’t assent to the anti LGBTQ+ bill’, LGBTQ+ people are special treat us with respect’, LGBTQ+ has come to stay’, ‘gays and lesbians are in the same schools and churches with you’, and ‘LGBTQ+ people also have their rights.
Other inscriptions included ‘No LGBTQ+ No Vote’ gays and lesbians are human beings’, I am for gays and lesbians’, ‘Ghanaians are hypocrite’, Assent to the anti -gay bill and loose the aids from the western world’.
Parliament of Ghana on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 passed the anti-gay bill and this has generated a lot of reactions from the general public and institutions alike.
While some members of the public have hailed the passage of the bill, others in support of the LGBTQ+ community have expressed dissatisfaction in the passage.
Aboagye in an interview with our reporter said he embarked on this demonstration to remind stakeholders that assenting to the anti-gay bill will violate key fundamental human rights provisions prescribed in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.
“I am protesting today to remind Ghanaians that if the anti-gay bill is enacted it will undermine Ghana’s international reputation as a peaceful nation,” adding that not only will it destroy Ghana’s international reputation but also deny gays and lesbians constitutional rights to freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of their rights.
The Kodie bisexual vowed to go length and breadth of the country to stage similar protests to let Ghanaians know that gays and lesbians are fed up with the intimidations and discriminations they (LGBTQ+ community) go through.
“Enough is enough of these persecutions, a time has come to stand up for our rights and I am not going to end it here. If I have to die I will die to save the LGBTQ+ community,” he stressed.
By David Affum-Kumasi
