The Western Regional Minister of Ghana, Paul Evans Aidoo (pictured), has triggered a witch-hunt in the country’s west, ordering the arrest of all “suspected” gay and lesbian residents.

In his efforts to “haul homosexuals before a court,” he is utilising forces such as Ghana’s Bureau of National Investigations which is one of the African nation’s own law enforcement agencies to hunt down and arrest homosexuals.

Speaking at a press conference on the 18th of July, Rev. Fred Deegbe of the Christian Counsel of Ghana said of legalising homosexuality: “This detestable and abominable act, if passed into law in Ghana, will bring the wrath of God upon the nation and the consequences will be unbearable.”

At present, laws in Ghana do not extend human rights or legal protections based on an individual’s sexual orientation. The homophobia that is ample in the country’s west appears to be based on a criminal code prohibiting “unnatural carnal knowledge” which has now been linked to homosexuality.

Aidoo has asked citizens of Ghana to come forward and report anyone they suspect is homosexual or involved in a same-sex relationship. This persecution is being backed by some of the region’s religious community, who are staging protests condemning same-sex relationships as “demonic”.

An estimated 8,000 gay and lesbian citizens live in the country’s west region – but Aidoo does not acknowledge their widespread existence. “I don’t believe it; nobody believes it. We do not see them,” he told local media.

Homosexuality in Ghana today is still considered to be ungodly and with devastating estimates coming from countries such as Iran (where the execution toll stands at over 4,000 for gays and lesbians since 1979), it may be time for the World Health Organisation and external human rights groups to aid and educate citizens of Ghana to put an end to this disgraceful violation of human rights.