On May 30th a strange story circulated in the Ghanaian media. It claimed that 8,000 homosexuals, many with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, had been registered by an NGO. The figures also included students in junior and senior high school.
A few days later a group of Muslims tried again to lobby the government to bring the ‘homosexual crisis’ under control before Allah destroys Africa.
The original story should have raised questions that challenged its authenticity. In a country in which an open declaration of homosexuality will result in stigmatisation and intolerance, it seems hard to imagine that 8000 men, and school kids, would voluntarily register as homosexuals. What responsible NGO would keep such a list?
Men who have sex with men (MSM’s) have been neglected in HIV prevention programmes due to stigmatisation, intolerance and the apparent illegality of anal sex. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has enabled new efforts to be directed at this group although, typically, it is not official.
Against this background, USAID organised a workshop, together with some of its partner organisations, encouraging health workers to provide their services in a professional manner, regardless of the method of transmission. This included treatment for sexually transmitted infections, HIV testing and so on. This kind of workshop is necessary as some health workers feel the need to moralise and preach, putting off potential patients, instead of delivering these vital services,.
The workshop was attended by about 30 health workers. One of the doctors present made a wild guess that there were 8000 MSMs in the combined Western and Eastern regions. It seems that this unsubstantiated opinion has been leapt upon by the media whilst refusing to give the background to the claim. It has led the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare to publicly state that no NGO is registering homosexuals in Ghana.
The real story is of a rather low-key workshop that has been sensationalised by the press, possibly with the collusion of a local doctor. The press reports are designed to create fear as are the unrepresentative group of Muslims claiming an imminent Sodom and Gomorrah for Africa.
The debate around homosexuality in Ghana is an illusion because only one side is being heard. Its function is not to allow discussion but to reinforce negative public opinion informed only by myth and ignorance. An example of misinformation is the statement by the National Commission on Civic Education resolving to fight homosexuality in secondary schools which it claims are used as nurseries by homosexuals.
The prospective MP, Jacob Osei Yeboah’s call to have a referendum on whether Ghanaian’s like homosexuality is dishonest because it clearly allows for only one outcome. An outcome which Mr Yeboah states is needed to “withstand the power of the international gay community.”
As Ghana’s silent MSM’s go quietly on with their lives, those seeking power are attempting to use the issue to forward their careers.
The final twist to the story claimed that The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Ghana’s national security agency, would be investigating the registered names of homosexuals. If true, their precious resources would be invested into chasing a fantasy.
Critical Point 
I don’t know the reasons the NCCE stated for fighting homosexual relations in secondary schools but there may be a good reason for that, just like there is a good reason for fighting heterosexual relations in secondary schools. Sexual relations in boarding schools raise a lot of problems because of the way boarding houses operate in Ghana.
The NCCE’s framing of the issue suggests a different agenda than the valid one you mentioned. They aim to create panic through misinformation. If one wants to tackle an issue, it’s essential to present the reality of it and not rely on repeated myths. If the real issue is homosexuals coming into secondary schools to “recruit” then that will be the focus, not the sexual relationships between students. Their initial assumption is false on many fronts and therefore the only “fight” is to contribute to the hysteria around this issue.
I think that, Ghana is not yet ready to solve the problem of homosexuality. The Advocators for its solution are creating lots of inconveniences and lots and lots of hard earned and scarce time and other resources.
Most Ghanaians as at now think that, gays are the only beneficiaries to the open,real and frank discussions on the topic.
Ladies and Gentlemen, why don’t we keep quiet? Maybe, time will tell when Ghanaians will begin to face reality. At least, as more bisexuals take the HIV viruses from the exclusive gays, in the prisons, high schools, they will share it with their wives and girl friends, more and more innocent people become infected because they don’t know that the guy they are dating are bisexuals. All these events will help an exponential increase in HIV/AIDS transmission, there, Ghanaians eyebrows may be raised and call for an open discussions themselves.
Now, it appears to be initiated by NGOs, an apparent “alien organisation” so the solution will be too difficult. Maybe the next decade might be the right time. Harm might already been done but what can we do?
I think that, Ghana is not yet ready to solve the problem of homosexuality. The Advocators for its solution are creating lots of inconveniences and lots and lots of loss of hard earned and scarce time and other resources.
Most Ghanaians as at now think that, gays are the only beneficiaries to the open,real and frank discussions on the topic.
Ladies and Gentlemen, why don’t we keep quiet? Maybe, time will tell when Ghanaians will begin to face reality. At least, as more bisexuals take the HIV viruses from the exclusive gays, in the prisons, high schools, they will share it with their wives and girl friends, more and more innocent people become infected because they don’t know that the guy they are dating are bisexuals. All these events will help an exponential increase in HIV/AIDS transmission, there, Ghanaians eyebrows may be raised and call for an open discussions themselves.
Now, it appears to be initiated by NGOs, an apparent “alien organisation” so the solution will be too difficult. Maybe the next decade might be the right time. Harm might already been done but what can we do?
Michael, you may be right that Ghana is not ready but often things only move when pushed. I do think the perception of outside influence may harden Ghanaians attitudes as you say. The resources have been brought in from USAID specifically for the purpose of health precisely because the organisations here seem impotent to act. As you mention, sexuality is quite fluid and therefore the transmission of the virus may not stay within one group of people. Providing health awareness to professionals does not seem to me to warrant hysteria. Dealing with an issue is not the same as promoting it.
Silence will indeed not rock the boat. But the noise seems to be coming, not from homosexuals, but from the anti-homosexual brigade and Ghanaian human rights activists who are responding to them.
I have to disagree with your definition of innocent people who are infected and, by implication, guilty people who presumably deserve the virus.
An excellent piece! I admire your efforts to contribute a progressive piece to the ‘non-debate’ that goes on in Ghana on homosexuality (non debate for the very reasons you mentioned).
The homophobia expressed by prominent politicians and some aspects of the media is irresponsible and in my opinion hypocritical.
gays why are u trying to come to ghana. is it the rest of the would enough for u?
Hi Kofi, My post was more about the misinformation that is being spread around this issue that makes people like yourself feel threatened. Your comment is interesting because it shows a fundamental misunderstanding – that homosexual behaviour is coming from outside Ghana. The notion of being ‘Gay’ is new in Ghana but the behaviour has almost certainly been in Ghana since people discovered how to have sex! The difficulty with all the hysteria is how to maintain a clear head to discuss this calmly.
Graham, I certainly do appreciate your thoughts on the matter. It’s absurd how convinced and concerned our politicians are about this rampant spread of “gayism and lesbianism.” I can’t help but think that this is one big foucauldian experiment on power and discourse. You are right to emphasize that this whole “debate” is a sham to reinforce the negative public opinion of the barely existent gay community in Ghana.
A part of me does wonder, however, if perhaps bringing discussions of gay identities to light in Ghana may not be a good thing. Perhaps the idea that there are 8000 other gays out there, 8000 men and women brave enough to be “registered,” would allow others to recognize their right to exist; to recognize that they are not some kind of aberration, someone that needs to be ashamed of who they love.
Thanks Anima, that’s certainly food for thought.
Thank you forr writing this