Private legal practitioner, Maurice Ampaw, has joined a section of Ghanaians who have taken on respected lawyer, Akoto Ampaw, for taking a stance against a bill that seeks to criminalise aspects of LGBT+ activities.
Akoto Ampaw, who was lead counsel for President Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2020 presidential election petition, and about 17 other influential persons, comprising lawyers and academics, have kicked against the anti-gay bill that is currently before Parliament.
Professor Emerita Takyiwaaa Manuh, Professor Kwame Karikari, Professor Kofi Gyimah-Boadi, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, Dr Yao Graham, Professor Dzodzi Tsikata and Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh are among the scholars who have launched a campaign to kick against an anti LGBT+ bill initiated by some eight Members of Parliament.
They believe that when the bill passes into law, it will infringe on the fundamental human rights enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
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The group said at a press conference held in Accra on Monday, October 4, 2021, that their advocacy is not about the right or wrong nature of homosexuality, but they were concerned about the bill infringing on human rights.
Many Ghanaians have backed the law as timely and appropriate.
But Maurice Ampaw singled out Akoto Ampaw for heavy criticism when he hosted his popular local language show ‘Mmra Ne Abrabo Mu Nsem’ -- The Law and Life -- on Wontumi TV on Sunday, October 10, 2021.
In his view Akoto Ampaw is not the good lawyer he thinks he is because the law is clear that homosexuality is illegal and anyone who defends homosexuals on the basis of human rights in Ghana is either not clever or does not know the law.
In his view, anyone who claims to know the law will not defend gays.
He said it is clear that Akoto Ampaw has been blinded by politics on the matter.
Maurice Ampaw said it was unfortunate that Akoto Ampaw has chosen to defend gays with is years of legal expertise.
For the MPs who are billed to vote on the bill later this month, he has this advice for them: “Either you vote for or against the bill and you go home [lose your seat]â€. According to him, Ghanaians in constituencies across the country are against LGBT+ activities and so the MPs’ votes must reflect that.