Minister-designate for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has firmly reiterated his opposition to LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
Speaking during his vetting, Iddrisu referenced his cultural and religious beliefs as a Muslim, stating that such practices are fundamentally at odds with his values and the broader Ghanaian ethos.
“It’s a cultural wrong. With my religion as a Muslim, you know where I stand on this matter. It is repugnant to my Muslim values and ethics.”
The Minister-designate further emphasized the importance of preserving Ghana’s social and cultural norms, which he believes are deeply rooted in traditional values, as he questioned whether most Ghanaian parents would approve of raising their children in a manner.
“I do not want to believe that many Ghanaian parents would want their children trained in a way which is not consistent with the way I and you were brought up as Ghanaians. That a man can relate to a man and a woman can relate to a woman,” he said.
Iddrisu also called on Ghanaians and the international community to respect the country’s values, which he argued are enshrined within the framework of the constitution. “We’re a country, and we define our values both social and cultural, and we should expect all other persons to respect those values. We must preserve those values within the ambit of the constitution,” he stressed.