The 15 renowned academics, lawyers who want the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill rejected by parliament

• They have described the bill as a violation of key fundamental human freedoms

• The group also claim the bill is a threat to the Ghanaian family unit and family values

Fifteen renowned legal, academic and civil professionals have filled a memorandum to parliament against the anti-gay bill.

Per the memorandum, the group described the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill as a violation of all the key fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the constitution.

“The Bill violates the right to inviolability of the person. It violates virtually all the key fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution, namely the right to freedom of speech and expression; the right to freedom of thought, conscience and belief; the freedom to practice any religion and to manifest such in practice (which includes the freedom not to practice any religion); the right to assemble, including the freedom to take part in processions and demonstrations; the freedom of association and the right to organize- in essence the fundamental human rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.”

They concluded in the memorandum that the bill envisages the very opposite of the words “freedom and justice’ that emblazon our coat of arms, hence the need for it to be rejected by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, and by Parliament as a whole.”

Below is a list of the renowned individuals against the anti-LGBTQ bill

Akoto Ampaw

Lawyer Anthony Akoto Ampaw Esq is a veteran Ghanaian lawyer and human rights activist.

Professor Emerita Takyiwaa Manuh

Takyiwaa Manuh is Professor and Director of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana.

Professor Kwame KariKari

Professor Kwame Karikari is a renowned communications educator.

Professor Kofi Gyimah-Boadi

He is a renowned political scientist and co-founder of the Afrobarometer Network.

Professor Audrey Gadzekpo

Professor Audrey Gadzekpo is the Dean of the School of Information and Communications Studies, University of Ghana. He is also a communication expert.

Dr. Rose Kutin-Mensah

Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, Regional Programme Manager of ABANTU, a gender based non-governmental organization (NGO)

Dr. Yao Graham

He is the Executive Director of the Third World Network

Professsor Dzodzi Tsikata

He is the Director, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana,

Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh 

He is the Executive Director of Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)

Kwasi Adu-Amankwah

Kwasi Adu Amankwah is the General Secretary, African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC Africa)

Dr. Kojo Asante

Dr Kojo Asante is the Director for Policy and Advocacy, Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)

Akunu Dake

Akunu Dake is the Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Development, Co-convener of the Ghana culture forum

Tetteh Homerku-Adjei

Professor Raymond Atuguba

Professor Raymond A. Atuguba is the Dean of, and an Associate Professor at the University of Ghana School of Law.

Kofi Ofei-Nkansah