LGBT Ghanaians await court ruling on restrictive new law

[Kenneth Erwin Engelhardt]

ACCRA, April 18 (Reuters) - Members of Ghana's LGBT community and activists are waiting to see whether the West African country's president will sign into law a bill that would further restrict their rights and likely worsen the persecution many face.
Kwame, a gay man who spoke to Reuters on the condition his real name was not used, already bears the scars of Ghana's widespread intolerance of homosexuality.
"I was born with two eyes, but this is what I have now," said the 30-year-old, removing his oversized spectacles to reveal an eye that he said was damaged when neighbours attacked him over his sexuality in 2021.

"Imagine if the bill becomes law," he said, fearing the crackdown would embolden those who feel they can target LGBT people with impunity, "empowering ... people to be murderous."
Parliament unanimously passed the bill in February, but President Nana Akufo-Addo has delayed signing it with his office citing two pending challenges at the supreme court.
On Thursday, the High Court in Accra was due to rule on a lawmaker's petition to compel Akufo-Addo to act on the law within seven days, but it postponed the decision to April 29, prolonging the tense legal limbo.

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/lgbt-ghanaians-await-court-ruling-restrictive-new-law-2024-04-18/