Denying MPs visa for them to kowtow to your wishes is primitive – Ablakwah shades foreign Embassies
Outspoken Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has called out embassies denying Ghanaian legislators visas over their stand against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex, LGBTQI+ rights in the country.
He said High Commissions and embassies doing that is pure disrespect and disregard to Ghana’s sovereignty and regards it as a primitive strategy being adopted to influence the decision of revered Ghanaian legislators.
Mr Ablakwah thus called on Ghana’s Foreign Ministry to caution the foreign missions engaged in this act that the “principle of reciprocity will apply to any nation that embarks on this reckless and provocative path,” he said in a tweet on Friday, October 15.
Hon Ablakwa’s comments come after his colleague legislator for Asawase Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka also sent a word of caution to foreign missions that the legislators remain resolute in their stance and are not intimidated regarding the anti-LGBTQ bill pending before the house.
The legislator added that “it’s against the constitution of Ghana for any member of parliament to be punished for expressing his or her opinion on national issues in the house of parliament. So, therefore, no embassy can punish any MP in this country to kowtow to their wish’’.
Muntaka faulted President Akufo-Addo for pushing Ghana into such a situation saying “With the greatest respect to our President, Nana Akufo-Addo, his statement on Aljazeera was unfortunate. If he was bold like President Mills and John Dramani Mahama by letting the world know that Ghana will never accept LGBTQ+ activities they wouldn’t be doing the unfortunate advocacies we are seeing in the country of late”.
The controversial anti-LGBTQ bill which is currently before Parliament has already been a huge debate topic in the Ghanaian public discourse with people offering have varied opinions on the issue.
While some, particularly the religious and traditional groupings, have supported the Bill and are hopeful of its passing, others say it could incur the wrath of the international community against Ghana.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
