Sheikh Armiyawo Shiabu, spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, says he is worried about President Akufo-Addo's failure to take a stance in response to LGBTQ+ questions.

The President in response to a question by a New York Times reporter about the existence or otherwise of LGBTQ+ legislation, said there is no such legislation in Ghana yet, as the bill is currently before Parliament.

He added that after its passage in Parliament, he will take the next action on it. The President will be required to assent to it.

https://www.myjoyonline.com/substantial-elements-of-anti-lgbtq-bill-have-been-modified-akufo-addo/

Sheikh Armiyawo Shiabu says the President was over-cautious.

“The President was over cautions in trying to talk about it as if not wanting to offend a certain force that is coming from somewhere because I have heard the president speak forthrightly with strong tone about certain things like some of his encounters with Macron,” he said on JoyNews’ Upfront on Wednesday.

He explained that President Akufo-Addo missed the chance to assert the view of the nation.

“The President we know early on has also made the remark but in this particular sense…he has not been that forthright in indicating his personal position and a certain feeling about how in our national mindset as somebody who is also a man of faith coming up clearly on the note of even Christian revulsion action to say no, this thing is not something that I will ever support and I think we should have heard something like this from him.”

He continued; “I was expecting that even on this particular case which is at the very core of the survival of the family system in both Christianity and Islam and Traditional, I would have expected him to come up stronger and more definite on the issue.”

https://www.myjoyonline.com/i-am-in-charge-bagbin-tells-akufo-addo-over-anti-lgbtq-bill/

However, Sheikh Shiabu lauded the Speaker of Parliament for maintaining his promise to the Chief Imam by asserting that he will see to the passing of the bill,

“I am very comfortable with the tone of the speaker and I support and commend him for that.

“I go strongly with the speaker since he has remained consistent with the tone with which he has spoken against this LGBTQ and also speaking in support of the passing of this anti-LGBTQ bill,” he told host, Raymond Acquah.

The spokesperson added that the push for the passage of the bill was not from that of human rights activists but that of a religious leader who had the mandate to ensure the continuity of the legacy of the family system.

“The issue we are dealing with is from the faith community level and as a nation, we are not doing it from a human rights angle but viewing it as something that undermines the very survival of the family.

“It is not so much of a human rights issue. The damage it does to the family and once you want to destroy a community you begin destroying the family and you succeed. That’s how God made it,” he added.