The United States Embassy in Ghana has defied Ghanaian legislations that frown on the promotion of Lesbian, Gays, Bisexual, Transgender Queer (LGBTQ++) activities in the country by hoisting a pride flag on its premises.
The defiant action is prompted by the heated debate over legislation in the Ghanaian parliament seeking to criminalise the promotion of LGBTQ activities in the country.
It is unclear if the US Embassy and its Ambassador Stephanie Sullivan had received any clearance from Washington DC before hoisting the flag in an act that is designed to offend the sensitivities of the highly conservative Ghanaian society where the majority is against the open promotion of LGBTQ activities.
In 2019, the US State Department rejected all embassy requests to hoist rainbow flags outside the mission buildings during LGBTQ Pride Month.
However, some U.S. diplomats across the world clandestinely defied the State Department and hoisted Pride flags in Seoul, Channai India, New Delhi, Santiago, Chile, Vienna Embassy, etc.
Ghana is currently intensely debating a Private Member Bill in Parliament sponsored by eight legislators to criminalise the promotion of LGBTQ++ activities in Ghana. The main spearhead of the bill is Sam Gyata George who has been on a warpath with pro-LGBTQ groups on social media.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin has also made his strong opposition to LGBTQ++ activities know, saying it disrupts the family values in Ghana.
He recently chided several diplomats whom he described as attempting to impose their Western values on Ghana.
This was shortly after the security agencies closed down an LGBTQ++ headquarters opened in Accra.