TAKE YOUR AID

-Prof.Agyeman-Dua  tells the Western world

Story: Atta  Kwaku  BOADI

Former  UN Advisor on Good Governance ,Professor  Baffour Agyeman-Dua has asked African leaders particularly,  Ghana not  to kowtow  to  the whims and caprices of the Western world by accepting anything they offer that goes against our culture.

Prof. Agyeman-Dua  who is the  co-founder of  the Centre for Democratic Development  Ghana (CDD-Ghana) ,could not  fathom why the Western World is bent on imposing their foreign culture on Africans, particularly Ghanaians.

He consequently told the Western world to take their aid money and leave Ghana alone.

According to the governance expert,  the incessant pressure by some European countries including the United Staes of America (USA)  on Ghana to recognise and respect the rights of  the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex  (LGBTQI +) community “ is unreasonable”.

“What haven’t they (Western world) done to us? First, they succeeded in colonising us and, then indoctrinating  us”, he lamented.

“Now the only thing we have which makes us unique and different from the  rest of the world is our culture,and that  one too they want to destroy it”, he added.

Prof. Ageman-Dua was commenting on the ongoing debate  in the  country over  the anti-LGBTQI+    Bill currently before Ghana’s parliament at the weekend on Amansan Television’s (ATV’s ) political show, ‘Kanawu’.

The private members’ bill  which is being championed by eight Members of Parliament,(MPs) is christened “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021”.

Prof. Agyeman -Dua  did not agree with the opposers of the bill  who argue that if  the bill  is passed it would curtail  the rights of some people.

“ As far as this issue is concerned  there is nothing like human rights, it is absolutely nonsense”,he fumed.

He was however, quick to point out that, some portions of the  36- page draft bill were harsh, and called on Parliament and the drafters to do something about it.

Whiles he wanted those portions to be amended, he still maintained that Ghana could not accept LGBTQI+ activities.

“People can do it in their bedrooms,that’s their business but we can’t recognise it”, he stated.

Also commenting  on the issue, the Director of Research of Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Paul Bio underscored  the need for tolerance in the midst of the discourse.

He did not understand why the issue should divide the country.

According  to the PPP’s man,  there were more pressing national issues which must occupy the nation’s attention and not the LGBTQI+ activities.

On his part, a member  of the national communication team of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC),Kofi Asare Agyekum who was also on the programme  called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to come out publicly and state his own and Ghana’s position on the matter.

Notwithstanding, he was optimistic that Parliament would pass the bill.

The anti-gay bill  has already divided opinion in the Ghanaian public discourse.

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.

For instance, a private legal practitioner Mr. Akoto Ampaw  and seventeen (17)  other intellectual have  said the way and manner the bill has been designed indicates the extremism of the  mind.