What he thought was compassionate pleas for gays and lesbians, amid mounting controversy, has gotten a Ghanaian businessman, Joseph Anderson, embroiled in a storm of criticism.
He had made contentious remarks against the harsh laws targeted at the LGBTQI community with the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.
But the Kumasi-based mini-industrialist, renowned for his contributions to the auto parts industry, has witnessed a significant downturn in his business fortunes following his outspoken stance against what he terms “harsh conditions.”
Anderson’s comments, delivered during a street interview with a local radio station, ignited outrage within his business community and on social media platforms across Kumasi in Accra.
In his statement, Anderson, expressed his belief that individuals living and practising LGBTQI lifestyles, should be allowed the same freedoms as anyone else and should not face incarceration.
He questioned the logic of imprisoning LGBTQI individuals when he claims worse activities occur within the confines of Ghana’s prisons, insisting that imprisonment is not a panacea to the menace frowned upon by Ghanaian culture and religious values.
“What is the sense of jailing an LGBTQI person into prison when worse stuff does happen in our prisons? I have a relative who has been to prison before and can attest to the fact that same-sex relationships are being practised in there, but the inmates engaging in it are counselled and not sentenced again,” he reiterated.
However, the backlash against Anderson’s remarks was swift and severe. Many individuals, both domestically and internationally, condemned him for allegedly promoting the LGBTQ agenda and called for boycotts of his shops and other businesses.
Consequently, his auto spare parts shops have experienced a noticeable decline in sales and investor interest.
According to Anderson, a local resident, he still believes that the bill passed by Parliament, awaiting presidential assent, is harsh and should be reconsidered.
As it stands, the fate of Anderson’s businesses remains uncertain. This case serves as a poignant reminder of the complex intersection between personal beliefs, public perception, and economic realities.
He insists he is not gay and has never sought to promote it, but only wanted a humane approach to dealing with people involved in the practice, citing arguments of the Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Affutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the former Director of the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Prof Emerita Abena Takyiwaa Manuh and Prof Audrey Gadzekpo of the Department of Communication Studies, University of Ghana.
