Sam Nartey George, a member of parliament (MP) representing Ningo Prampram in Ghana, has criticized Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, over her comments on the criminalization of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.
According to 3news.com, the MP stated that Harris should be the last person to educate Ghana on human rights because the lives of people are taken for no reason in her country. He further added that if Kamala Harris cares about human rights so much, she should focus on ensuring that the lives of Americans, including children, are protected.
“Kamala Harris is not the SI Unit for Human rights. She is actually one of the last people in the world who should be talking about human rights. As Vice President of the United States, she comes from a country where human rights abuses are rife. In fact, barely two hours after she finished making those comments that she was interested in human rights, in her own country a 28-year-old woman walked into a school building and killed three children and teachers. I believe that a Vice President who has been elected and is concerned about human rights should be concerned about the children in school that they should be able to have a decent education without fearing that indiscriminate gun violence will end their lives. Gun violence is a human rights issue. She has not been able to deal with those issues,” George said.
The MP made these remarks while responding to the response of Kamala Harris when she and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo were confronted with the issue of the criminalization of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.
During the visit, Kamala Harris said that for her, being LGBTQ is a human right and every person has the right to live as they want. “Let me be clear about where we stand. First of all, for the American press who are here, you know that a great deal of work in my career has been to address human rights issues, equality issues across the board including those related to the LGBT community. And I feel very strongly about the importance of supporting the freedom and supporting and fighting for equality among all people and that all people be treated equally. I will also say that this is an issue that we consider and I consider to be a human rights issue and that will not change,” Harris said.
The issue of LGBTQ+ rights has been a topic of debate in Ghana in recent years. While homosexuality is illegal in Ghana, the issue gained attention after the opening of an LGBTQ+ community center in the country’s capital, Accra. The center was subsequently shut down after a public outcry, with the government issuing a statement condemning the center’s activities.
The comments of Sam Nartey George reflect a broader sentiment in Ghana that homosexuality is not a human right, and that Western countries should not impose their values on African countries. However, the comments of Kamala Harris reflect the view that LGBTQ+ rights are human rights and that every person should be treated equally, regardless of their sexual orientation
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