Rafik Mahama, an aide to Ibrahim Mahama, the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners Company Limited, has rebuffed media reports that Ernest Owusu Bempah, the embattled spokesperson for Ghana Gas has been pardoned.

“Kindly disregard the story that went viral today with the headline: “Ibrahim Mahama invites ‘brother’ Owusu Bempah home for tea, pardons payment of GH¢203,000”, Rafik Mahama stated in a social media post sighted by GhanaWeb. “There’s no such invitation extended to Owusu Bempah after the apology was issued. An amount of GHC 107,000 has been paid so far with GHC203,000 outstanding”.

He added: “Mr. Ibrahim Mahama received an official apology from Owusu Bempah and apart from that, no further decision has been taken with regards to the apology from Owusu Bempah and the outstanding amount of GHC 203,000.”

An Accra High Court last month ordered Ernest Owusu Bempah, the spokesperson for Ghana Gas to pay Ibrahim Mahama for defamation.

Owusu Bempah as per reports has been struggling to raise the said amount to settle his debt.

On Saturday, February 27, false reports emerged on social media that Ibrahim Mahama had forgiven Owusu Bempah.

Source: GhanaWeb

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has broken his silence on the raging issue of same-sex relations, declaring that his administration will never legalize same-sex marriage in the country.

Speaking at an event in Asante Mampong to outdoor the second Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Ghana, President Akufo-Addo stated:

“It will not be under the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that same-sex marriage will be legalized in Ghana; it will never happen in my time as president.”

This statement from President Akufo-Addo will bring finality to the raging issue of same-sex relations in the country for the past two weeks.

The opening of an office for the LGBTQI+ group in Ghana and statements made by some ministerial nominees during vetting have culminated in a highly divisive and emotive discussion on the matter, with the police eventually closing down the office.

Source: GhanaWeb

Few days ago, former Metro TV journalist, Ignatius Annor openly declared himself as being gay and he has since then jumped on a campaign to advocate for LGBTQI rights to be recognized in Ghana.

His latest encounter with the media did not go too well as the Euronews journalist decided to boycott an interview with Angel FM’s Captain Smart midway.

Throughout the interview which lasted a little under 25 minutes, the disagreement between the two journalists surrounding LGBTQI+ promotion become clear with each single question posed by the interviewer.

Ignatius on one hand sought to explain to Captain Smart why Ghanaians need to be accepting and accommodating of gay people and their activities.

He argued that not all persons could possibly be heterosexual and that some people were born gay hence the need to have a society that is accepting of such persons.

“I don’t know but what is the criminality here if a man says I have love for another fellow man or I have love for another fellow woman. What is the crime here?” he questioned.

He further pointed out to Captain Smart that he had taken a troubling position on the matter by stating that people arguing for gay rights recognition in Ghana were attempting to dilute the cultural setup of the country.

“One of those troubling issues for the LGBTQI+ community is the position that you as a media person holds and your line of questioning is not doing any good. That is not doing us any good,” he stated.

Captain Smart along the lines then inquired from the journalist whether he identifies as a female or male, Annor answered that he was male.

He further attempted to find out the sexual role of his interviewee in his relationship.

“I find your question very disrespectful and I will not answer your question. I find your question dehumanizing and disrespectful because I have not asked you that question as a straight man. So you can’t ask me that and it’s very unfortunate. As a human being you don’t have the right to ask that question,” Annor stated.

The host of the show who was insistent on knowing the answer to his question argued that Ignatius by refusing to answer the question was proving that he was ashamed of himself for being gay.

“I repeat myself again, for me to agree to speak to you on LGBTQI debate and for you to sit in your studio and for you to continue a narrative while for yours I have been dehumanized, I just told you that I can’t continue this conversation. Thank you,” was the response Ignatius gave before Captain Smart ended the interview.

Source: GhanaWeb