The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, says Ghana’s decision to abstain from a vote at the 59th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC59) contradicts the country’s publicly declared position on LGBTQ issues.
The question before the Council on Monday, July 7, was whether persons who identify as LGBTQI should be protected against violence and discrimination.
The Minister argued that the move undermines the country’s stance of recognising only male and female genders.
Sam George stressed the need for consistency in defending the nation’s values on international platforms.
“I cannot in good conscience understand the decision to abstain in the subsequent vote.
That vote is in conflict with Ghana’s espoused position and my conscience. We MUST at all times make our position clear and unambiguous,” the Ningo-Prampram MP, who was the lead sponsor of the now-expired anti-gay bill, said in a social media post on Thursday, July 10.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has defended the abstention, saying the vote, held on Monday, July 7, was not about supporting LGBTQI rights as speculated.
It explained in a statement dated July 9 that Ghana abstained “to be consistent with Chapter 5, Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution, which specifically prohibits discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed, or social and economic status.”
