Director of the Legal Affairs at National Communications Authority (NCA), Dr Poku Adusei has urged Ghanaians to desist from tagging individuals and groups opposing the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill as persons involved in or in support of homosexuality.

According to him, the two positions, an advocate against the bill and a member of the LGBTQ Community are distinct, hence should not be lumped as one.

Discussing the controversial matter on Newsfile, Dr Adusei told host, Samson Lardy Anyenini the argument made by Private legal practitioner, Akoto Ampaw and Professor Emerita at the Institute of African Studies of the University of Ghana, Takyiwaa Manuah, point to the fact that seeking to criminalise homosexuality is unconstitutional.

"We should not lose sight that the group with Akoto Ampaw and Professor Takyiwaa Manu and the rest who are advocating against the bill are in no way saying that they are supporters of lesbianism and gayism. That is one thing Ghanaians must understand. It doesn't mean they will go and take their kids that they should convert from heterosexual relationships into homosexuality.

"They are rather saying that the route you are taking is a wrong one," he said on Saturday.

He, therefore, admonished that "we should not misconstrue those who are against the current bill as persons who are into lesbianism and gayism."

His comments come after two groups presented two separate documents to Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs making a case against the proposed Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021.

One of the groups is the Coalition of Lawyers, Academics and other Professionals of which Mr Ampaw and Prof Emerita Mamuah are members of.

The Coalition is of the view that the bill criminalizes dissenting views and expressions contrary to the words ‘freedom and justice' that are embedded on Ghana's coat of arms.

Thus “the Bill ought, with respect, to be firmly rejected by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, and by Parliament as a whole.”

Following further submission by Mr Akoto Ampaw on the coalition's views on JoyNews' PM Express, the legal practitioner has been urged to drop his position and alleged to have been paid to oppose the Anti-Gay Bill.

These calls have been led by Deputy General Secretary of the governing NPP, Obiri Boahene and Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam Nartey George.

But Mr Ampaw rejected the claim, insisting his position on the matter is based on principles and the Coalition's position has no relation with members’ personal preference for same-sex activities.

“Everybody who really knows me knows that I’m not a pimp. I don’t take money from other people to carry out other people’s agenda. I fight for principle…It is ridiculous for people to be suggesting that we have gone and collected money in order to promote this fight."

“Our position has nothing to do with our personal preference or not for homosexual activities. Our position is a principled position that we take to defend the rights of every person in Ghana and subject to the public interest,” he added.