Afrobarometer, the popular research institution that conducts public attitude surveys on socio-economic topics has revealed that Nine out of 10 Ghanaians (89%) say they would dislike living next door to people in same-sex relationships Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Queers (LGBTQ).
In a January 2020 report of a recent survey on the topic, Afrobarometer found out that only 11% of Ghanaians would not care to have LGBTQ people as their neighbours.
This report revealing a strong conservative view about the LGBTQ drive globally shows in contrast that Ghanaians are more accommodating of other often fractious differences such as different ethnicities, religious faiths, immigrants and foreigners, persons living with HIV/AIDS, etc.
The report read: “In contrast, large majorities said they would not have any problem living next to people of different ethnicities (96%), religious faiths (94%), immigrants or foreign workers (88%), or persons living with HIV/AIDS (68%).”
The Afrobarometer report available with Whatsup News vindicates the position of the then President Evans Atta Mills who parried pressure at the 2012 AU Summit, saying no external force can force acceptance of LGBTQ acceptance on Ghanaians.
“The Ghanaian society frowns on homosexuality. If the people’s interest is that we do not legalize homosexuality, I don’t see how any responsible leader can decide to go against the wishes of his people,” the late ex-President Atta Mills said.
Ghana has come under serious pressure from Western governments to formalise the acceptance of LGBTQ, but have mostly failed. Indeed in 2011, former British Prime Minister David Cameron warned that the United Kingdom would cut off aid to any country that failed to recognize gay rights.
However, a recent attempt by the Akufo Addo administration to sneak in LGBTQ acceptance through the controversial Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) curriculum was strongly opposed by civil society, religious and other groups in the country.
According to the Afrobarometer report, “Ghana is one of the African countries that has no explicit laws on same-sex relations but has legislation that can be interpreted as criminalizing such activity.”
For instance, the Criminal Offences Act of 1960 (Act 29), Article 104(1) of Chapter 6 states that “unnatural carnal knowledge” between consenting adults (age 16 and above) is a misdemeanour.
“Human-rights activists contend that Ghana’s criminal code lacks clarity, and countless commentaries have argued both sides of the question of whether Ghana should legalize same-sex relationships,” said Daniel Armah-Attoh, the compiler of the latest Afrobarometer report on sexuality acceptance in Ghana
.