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Tag: Homosexuality

  • My SHS biology teacher introduced me to homosexuality – 25-year-old Ghanaian narrates

    My SHS biology teacher introduced me to homosexuality – 25-year-old Ghanaian narrates

    A 25-year-old man has shared how his male biology teacher back at Senior High School (SHS) allegedly initiated him into homosexuality.

    In an interview on Onua FM, he disclosed that he was the said teacher’s favorite student as he performed well in class.

    He revealed that his ordeal started when the teacher asked him to follow him to his house.

    “My teacher in SHS initiated me into gayism at age 16, about to turn 17. I was a science student, so the teacher taught me biology, but I didn’t know that he was into that. I was a very intelligent student, so he became fond of me, the same as some other teachers.

    According to him the teacher invites home to dine with him, helps him learn as well as sometimes provide his needs.

    “‘When we got there”, according to him he prepared food, and served him, not long after he began showing pornographic videos on his phone, which they watched together.

    He added it was getting late so he told the teacher he had to go home and prepare because he would be returning for preps.

    However, his tutor told him there was no need for him to go home, as he could shower at his place and even have “my prep time in his bungalow”.

    “He began his advances when he started giving me preferential treatment. He often sends me to get something for him, or he asks that I escort him to places. He also sometimes supports me financially. When I got to form three, I began going for preps in the school even though I was a day student. On one of the nights I closed from preps, he asked me to follow him to his house. When we got there, he prepared food, and we ate. While there, he began showing pornographic videos on his phone, which we watched together.

    The young boy narrated that he heeded the teacher’s advice and went to the bathroom to bathe, later  his teacher  joined him naked.

    “After we were done eating, I told him I had to go home and prepare because I would be returning for preps. He told me there was no need for me to go home and return to school, as I could shower at his place and even have my prep time in his bungalow, after which I could return home. So, I went to his bathroom to take my bath, and while there, he joined me naked. Because he was my teacher, I sought to cover myself because I was shy around him, but he told me not to worry,” he stated.

    He said he attempted to cover himself but his teacher told him not to bother as he saw nothing wrong with that.

    The 25-year old concluded that his teacher began touching him and asked that he had sex with him.

    “… At that instant, he began to fondle my penis. At that instance, it did not occur to me that he was gay and he could have sex with me. All of a sudden, he held my penis into his mouth and was licking it. He asked me if I could have sex with him. I stood quiet for a long time because I didn’t know what to say, and then it happened. It was a painful experience, but he was my teacher, and he helped me sometimes, so whatever he said, I did,” he added.

  • Jailing LGBTQ members will not end homosexuality – Catholic Bishops

    Jailing LGBTQ members will not end homosexuality – Catholic Bishops

    The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, has stressed that imprisoning homosexuals will not eliminate homosexuality; rather, it may worsen such behaviors.

    He is advocating for a reconsideration of the penalties outlined in the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values bill.

    Reverend Gyamfi argues that incarcerating individuals with such inclinations in Ghana’s inadequate prison facilities may only reinforce their behavior instead of facilitating rehabilitation.

    In an interview with Citi FM on Thursday, February 29, he underscored the importance of implementing corrective and reformative measures within the prison system to prevent potential adverse outcomes.

    “We think that in the case of this particular law and the way it is being implemented, being placed in prison as the punishment that they have chosen, it is not going to solve the problem.

    “Because you see if you round up same-sex people, and you know our prisons, they are going to end up in the same room, and what is going to prevent them from going through these activities in the prison?”

    “And you are not going to put them there forever because they are going to be there for three months to six months.

    “And then they practice this and come out as more experts at it than when you sent them there. Then you release them back into society. So, what is going to happen?”

    “That is why we were concerned about a punishment that will correct them, that will reform them. So if the government is going this way or if the parliament is going this way that is why we are suggesting that in the prison there, they should add more of the corrective and reformative measures,” he stated.

    After nearly three years of deliberation, Parliament passed the highly controversial Anti-LGBTQ+ bill on Wednesday, February 28.

    Introduced in the House as a private members’ bill, the legislation received unanimous approval following the completion of the third reading.

    Under the provisions of the bill, individuals involved in prohibited activities may face imprisonment ranging from six months to three years, while sponsors and promoters could be sentenced to three to five years’ imprisonment.

    However, the bill has faced criticism from various quarters, with many citing different reasons for their objections.

  • More MPs are against anti-LGBTQ bill but are scared of being linked to homosexuality – Majority Leader

    More MPs are against anti-LGBTQ bill but are scared of being linked to homosexuality – Majority Leader

    The new Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has suggested that some of his fellow MPs are reluctant to criticize the controversial anti-gay bill out of fear of reprisals.

    He mentioned that the introduction of the bill has created a climate of fear among legislators, leading them to steer clear of challenging it.

    Afenyo-Markin also voiced concern about the severe sentencing provisions in the legislation, which he believes are exacerbating the apprehension among his colleagues. He stated that he is willing to speak out, even if it means losing his parliamentary seat.

    The Effutu legislator further raised doubts about the efficacy of the proposed penalties for engaging in LGBT activities. He questioned whether individuals imprisoned for such actions would undergo meaningful reform during their incarceration.

    During an interview on The Point of View on Citi TV, with Bernard Avle, Afenyo-Markin said, “The way the whole thing was introduced, it created some fear among legislators, that people think that if I dare question it, they will say that I’m supporting a man to marry a man or supporting a woman to marry a woman, so nobody wants to touch it. It’s a radioactive substance. But, if we pay attention to the details, we can come up with a law that will be acceptable to all.”

    In February, Parliament approved a bill stipulating a three-to-five-year jail term for those promoting or sponsoring LGBTQ activities, with individuals caught in the act facing imprisonment ranging from six months to three years.

    During the bill’s clause-by-clause amendment, Mr. Afenyo-Markin argued against the punitive measures, stating that they would not facilitate the rehabilitation of the offenders.

    He also voiced concerns about the constitutionality of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently being reviewed by Parliament, suggesting that it contains significant legal flaws that may not stand up to legal scrutiny.

    “I think the law in its present form has questionable constitutional issues. The law as I see it, from how I’ve seen it, cannot stand any serious test in any constitutional court. I think that the law would have serious challenges at the Supreme Court. If it faces a constitutionality test, it will fail. Not the entire law, but aspects of it, will fail. That’s my view,” he said.

  • LGBQT+: Teacher mobbed in Prestea for alleged homosexuality

    LGBQT+: Teacher mobbed in Prestea for alleged homosexuality

    A man suspected to be a homosexual has been assaulted by some  residents in Prestea. 

    This incident occurred in a town known as Blue Town in the Western Region.

    According to one of the eyewitnesses, the teacher whose name was not given, had gone to have sex with another man for which he was allegedly attacked and beaten by the group.

    “This is Odeefour TV, Every day we get to hear something different. This is a blue town in Pretea, the man you see here behaves like a woman and has gone to have sex with another man” he narrated.

    https://twitter.com/SIKAOFFICIAL1/status/1696487248370205138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1696487248370205138%7Ctwgr%5E606c4c4dede5fc36cfca8523de62560538807a44%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ghanaweb.com%2FGhanaHomePage%2FNewsArchive%2FTeacher-assaulted-in-Prestea-for-allegedly-engaging-in-a-relationship-with-another-man-1833959

    The teacher can be seen in a tattered cloth and dirt all over with blood oozing behind his ears.

    He could he heard pleading with the mob that he was not gay but rather a teacher in a nearby school named Sankofa International School.

    As he tried to engage the crowd, the attackers confronted him and subjected him to verbal abuse.

    Ghana, like many other countries, grapples with the complex issue of LGBTQ rights.

    Presently, there is a private bill in parliament that seeks to criminalise the activities of the LGBTQ in Ghana.

    The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill otherwise known as Anti- the LGBTQ Bill, when passed will prescribe stringent punishment for persons who are caught engaged in or promoting activities of LGBTQ in the country.

  • Ugandan charged with homosexuality risks death penalty

    Ugandan charged with homosexuality risks death penalty

    A young man, aged 20, hailing from Uganda could potentially face the death penalty after being accused of a severe manifestation of homosexuality.

    This is against the law that was approved in May and is considered controversial.
    This charge has been reported for the first time,but it’s not known if anyone has been charged with it before.

    A court in the eastern part of Uganda accused a man on August18th of having sex with a 41-year-old man. But it was not clear why it was believed to be categorized as”aggravated homosexuality,”according to the Reuters news agency.

    According to the law, if you are gay and have sex with someone who is under 18 years old or have a long-term illness like HIV, it is considered a more serious offense.

    Uganda’s new law against homosexuality has received criticism from people all over the world. Demonstrations have taken place, including one in London.

    Justine Balya, the lawyer defending the accused, said that Uganda has accused four other individuals of breaking the anti-homosexuality law, but her client is the first person to face punishment under this specific category.

    According to Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper, a Ugandan court charged a former gay rights activist and another man with homosexuality on 22 August.

    Last week, a court in Uganda accused a 26-year-old woman of human trafficking and three acts of homosexuality.

    Earlier this month, the World Bank announced that it will stop giving money to Uganda because the law against homosexuality goes against its main beliefs and principles.

  • Sri Lanka Supreme Court clears the way to decriminalise homosexuality

    Sri Lanka Supreme Court clears the way to decriminalise homosexuality

    The speaker of parliament announced on Tuesday that the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka had approved a bill that sought to decriminalise homosexuality. Campaigners praised the decision as a “historic development”

    In Sri Lanka, where homosexuality is still punishable by a prison sentence and a fine, LGBTQ+ rights advocates have been fighting for years to reform the legislation. As a result, a private member’s bill was recently introduced in parliament.

    Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said the Supreme Court decided it was not illegal after hearing more than a dozen petitions on both sides of the issue.

    “The Supreme Court is of the opinion that the bill as a whole or as any provision thereof is not inconsistent with the constitution,” the speaker told parliament.

    The decision is seen as a “historic development that has created hope towards real change,” said Kaveesha Coswatte, an attorney-at-law and advocacy officer for iProbono in Sri Lanka, which supported many of the petitions backing the bill.

    Activists will still have to lobby for support from the 225 parliamentarians to push forward the proposed legislation through parliament.

    Neither the government nor the opposition have made any comment on whether they support the bill, proposed for consideration by an individual member of parliament, so the next steps for it to eventually become legislation, or not, are not yet clear.

    “But the door is finally open. This Supreme Court decision is major for the community in terms of any kind of progress they have seen over the last couple of years,” Coswatte added.

  • I have slept with a lot of married men – Gay man reveals

    I have slept with a lot of married men – Gay man reveals

    An anonymous homosexual man has revealed that many Ghanaian men swindle their wives under the guise of marriage to hide their actual sexual orientation.

    According to Stephen (not his real name), his numerous sexual escapades have been with married men who are yet to come out of the closet or come to terms with their sexuality.

    Speaking with GhanaWeb, he noted that these men pretend to be happy at home in order not to appear suspicious, but engage in same-sex activities in the shadow.

    “Because, I’ve had instances where I’ve been with married men – a lot of married men, to be honest, a whole lot: who have their wives thinking they are in a happy home but then at the end of the day, when they pick their bags to go to work, they come to me before they go home,” he narrated.

    Stephen’s revelation comes at a time when talks of criminalizing same-sex activities (LGBTQ activities) have heightened.

    Parliament is considering Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill also known as the anti-LGBT bill which would ban one from identifying as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and its related activities when it becomes law. Culprits would risk jail term.

    Due to the high possibility of the passage of the bill which has been recommended for approval by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Stephen says he would get involved in a heterosexual relationship to stay off the radar – an action he considers unfair on the part of the woman.

    He however noted that he would secretly continue having same-sex relations.

    “A typical example, if I’m to marry in Africa, I will definitely marry a woman… I’ll still do men even in the absence of my wife; in secrecy, I’ll still do men, which I don’t think is fair to anyone’s daughter,” he said.

    Nonetheless, Stephen insisted that in order not to “put your sister or anyone through such; I’d rather live my truth.”

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Don’t accept homosexuality -President of Uganda to Africa leaders

    Don’t accept homosexuality -President of Uganda to Africa leaders

    The president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, has urged African countries to lead in opposing the promotion of homosexuality, citing same-sex unions as a serious threat to human reproduction.

    “Africa should provide the lead to save the world from this degeneration and decadence which is really very dangerous for humanity. If people of opposite sex stop appreciating one another then how will the human race be propagated?” he asked, according to an article dated April 2 and posted on his personal website.

    Museveni was speaking to a delegation of Members of Parliament from over 22 African countries and the United Kingdom.

    The MPs were in the East African country for a 2-day first ever Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty that ran under the theme ‘Protecting African Culture and Family Values’.

    The delegation led by a Ugandan MP, Sarah Opendi, during a courtesy call, thanked Museveni for his firm stand against homosexuality.

    The Conference which was also attended by medical experts enlightened participants on the causes of homosexuality and possible remedies to the vice.

    President Museveni noted that initially the practice that was thought to be a deviation from the normal is more dangerous than drugs. He therefore sought the identification of the focal point of homosexuality as it is neither genetic nor hormonal, a statement posted on his website noted.

    Uganda’s parliament recently passed an anti-LGBTQ+ bill which is yet to be transmitted to the president for assent into law.

    Museveni has stated his readiness to convene a meeting with lawmakers and take steps to sign it into law once he receives it. The legislation has roundly been criticized by development partners and the United Nations as draconian.

  • Theologian sacked by Bible College for tweeting homosexuality is ‘invading the church’

    Theologian sacked by Bible College for tweeting homosexuality is ‘invading the church’

    Christian theologian Mr. Aaron Edwards was allegedly fired by a Methodist Bible institution in the United Kingdom due to his anti-homosexuality tweets.

    It was discovered that the college also implied that it will label Dr. Aaron, a theology professor at Cliff College in Derbyshire, England, as a terrorist.

    Fox News reports that he was dismissed from the school after being accused of “bringing the college into disrepute” on social media last month, when he tweeted, “Homosexuality is invading the church,” on February 19.

    “Evangelicals no longer see the severity of this [because] they’re busy apologizing for their apparently barbaric homophobia, whether or not it’s true.

    “This *is* a ‘Gospel issue,’ by the way. If sin is no longer sin, we no longer need a Savior,” Edwards added.

    According to the report, Edwards’ tweet went viral and prompted blowback, to which Edwards responded: “That *is* the conservative view. The acceptance of homosexuality as ‘not sinful’ *is* an invasion upon the Church, doctrinally.

    “This is not controversial. The acceptance is controversial. Most of the global Church would agree. It is not homophobic to declare homosexuality sinful.

    “I expressed the conservative view as a doctrinal issue, re. the implications for sin/the Gospel. It was not an attack on individuals, it was addressed to evangelicals. It seems that holding the view that homosexuality is sinful is only welcome if it remains ‘unexpressed,’” he added.

    Edwards’ tweets reportedly caused “distress” among members of the Methodist Church in Britain, with one senior staff member saying they “could be extremely damaging” and “impact the college’s core work” and “business plan,” according to Edwards’ legal counsel at the London-based Christian Legal Centre.

    During a disciplinary hearing on March 8, the college disclosed that it was considering submitting Edwards to Prevent, which oversees claims of terrorism in the United Kingdom. Edwards was suspended from the school pending an investigation.

    Edwards claims that he was tricked into endorsing “conversion therapy” at the hearing when he was asked what he would do if a student requested him to pray with them about their same-sex attraction. The U.K. Parliament has discussed making conversion therapy a crime.

    “The reaction to my tweet and the unjust treatment I have experienced by Cliff College and the Methodist Church in Britain completely illustrates the problem my tweet addressed,” Edwards said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

    “The tweet was not defamatory; it was not an attack on any colleague or individual; it was not abusive; and it was not an extremist religious view. It was addressed to evangelicals as a point of doctrine, and it has been misunderstood by many who wish to cause personal and institutional trouble for those who express that view,” he continued.

    Edwards added that traditional Christian beliefs about sexuality are being “silenced and stamped out” in the Methodist Church.

  • Kenya’s first lady embarks on prayers against homosexuality

    Kenya’s first lady embarks on prayers against homosexuality

    The First Lady of Kenya, Rachel Ruto, has called for nationwide prayers against homosexuality, claiming that the family is under assault.

    Mrs Ruto said the country cannot condone the Supreme Court ruling last month that upheld the LGBTQ community’s right of association.

    “We should not even try to talk about LGTBQ. This is a conversation we should not even have in our country because accepting it is like throwing our morals into the dustbin,” the first lady said on Sunday.

    Homosexuality remains criminalised in Kenya. The Supreme Court ruled that refusal to allow the LGBT community to register lobby groups in Kenya would would violate their right to association, as provided in the Kenyan constitution.

    However, the ruling was met with protests from President William Ruto, as well as religious leaders in Kenya.

    Kenya’s attorney-general said the government will challenge the court’s ruling, insisting that the issue is a matter for public consultations rather than for the courts.

  • President of Uganda claims Europe is attempting to force homosexuality on his nation

    President of Uganda claims Europe is attempting to force homosexuality on his nation

    President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, on Thursday, February 16, 2023, accused Europe of attempting to “impose” homosexuality on the African nation, where LGBTIQ people are oppressed and subject to several stigmas.

    According to the Ugandan official, who was speaking during a rally to mark the 46th anniversary of the death of that country’s archbishop Janani Luwum, killed by the government of Idi Amin (1971-1979).

    “I want to congratulate Ugandan believers for rejecting homosexuality. Europeans don’t listen to us when we tell them that this problem of homosexuality is something we should not normalize or celebrate,” he added.

    According to Museveni, “It is true that there were some homosexuals (in Uganda) before the Europeans arrived, but it was a deviation from the norm, like a person with six fingers instead of five.”

    The Ugandan President made these comments a day after the Uganda Inter-Religious Council (IRCU) said it intended to bring back to the country’s parliament a bill introduced years ago to punish “repeat homosexuals” with life imprisonment.

    In February 2014, Museveni ratified that bill, but Uganda’s Constitutional Court struck down the law six months later, arguing that there was not a sufficient quorum during its vote in parliament.

    Discussions about this law – mainly driven by popular evangelist pastors – triggered a wave of attacks on LGBTIQ people in Uganda, leading to the murder of some of them.

    Today, Uganda’s penal code still has a law that dates back to 1950 – 12 years before the country gained independence from the UK – which penalizes same-sex sexual relations with up to seven years in prison.

    Source: angope.ao

  • ‘She’s teaching him homosexuality” – Lady under fire for applying makeup on son’s face

    ‘She’s teaching him homosexuality” – Lady under fire for applying makeup on son’s face

    Concerns have been raised about a video of a lady applying makeup on a boy’s face.

    Many who have come into contact with the post have reacted with disdain and abhorrence.

    According to them, the lady is imbibing into the poor boy’s homosexual tendencies, which would eventually result in her deciding to be a woman.

    While the lady has stiffly defended herself by stating that she was just having fun with her cousin, social media users are calling her out.

    Sensitive homophobic comments have been passed, with most of these people exhibiting little or no tolerance for her actions.

    She has been chastised for incorrectly influencing her and recklessly exposing her to the dangers of homosexuality at such a young and vulnerable age.

    @Inkoshanzana wrote: This, right here is absurd. Instilling the wrong mindset to a child should be an offence. This BOY child shouldn’t be used as a no’dollie to perfect your makeup skills. Let boys do boy staff! What a useless aunt…

    @Unidelm wrote: Nonsense. You’re emasculating the little man. Hw should be doing back flips and dribbling his mates in the field

    @mrkelvin wrote: you are the best cousin. thank you for sharing this moment with us & being a safe space for them sending you both love!

    @BilliamBatters wrote: This is all the way wrong and I’m not going to hold my words no matter who get upset cause this needs to be said: That is the completely wrong shade of lipstick for his complexion. Try a lighter shade but keep it in the skin tone category.

    @Richspirit wrote: I’m gay and I don’t approve of children wearing makeup. Male or female!

    Check out some of the screenshots

    ghpage.com

  • Niger on the verge of criminalising gay relationships 

    A motion to make same-sex relationships illegal in Niger has the support of a number of parliamentarians.

    Niger has a secular government with a Muslim majority, although there is no particular rule against same-sex unions at the moment.

    Same-sex partnerships, according to the MPs, are in opposition to the populace’s religious and cultural views.

    Nana Djibou Harouna, a politician from the southern Maradi area, delivered the proposal to the Speaker of Parliament.

    She told a press conference on Thursday in the capital, Niamey, that the move was meant to protect the “rights and interest of the public”.

    Mrs Haruna described homosexuality as a “problem affecting our society”.

    She claimed that after extensive deliberations, practically all MPs as well as Nigerien citizens had endorsed the proposal.

    When the subject will be formally discussed in parliament is not yet known. What sort of sanctions they want to be included in the law is likewise unclear.

    The action was taken just a few weeks after a court in Maradi exonerated two young women of lesbianism-related charges on the grounds that there was no specific law making same-sex relationships illegal.

    After being found guilty of publishing their nude videos on social media in which they were purportedly seen in a lesbian act, they were instead sentenced to two years in prison.

  • We will not tolerate homosexuality – GPCC

    Reverend Paul Frimpong-Manso, President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has said the Council will not tolerate any lifestyle that would bring the name of the Christian body into disrepute.

    He said the Council would keep hammering and informing the Ghanaian community that Lesbian Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) was “wrong, foreign, unnatural and ungodly”, and the society must frown upon it.

    Rev. Frimpong-Manso added that the Council had proposed legislation that prohibited the practice of homosexuality in the country, awaiting approval by Parliament.

    “We have joined a Coalition to protest against this LGBTQI because we support proper human sexuality, “he said.

    He made the statement at the Council’s National Delagates Conference in Accra, to discuss the affairs of the Council and deliberate on effective ways to serve the Church, nation and society at large.

    Addressing issues related to security in the country, he appealed to government to provide support, funds and the appropriate resources and gadgets to security agencies to enable them to execute their roles effectively.

    “The Police and other security agencies are doing their best, but it is not enough and so let us not chastise them, but rather encourage them to beef up their strategies in discharging their duties to make us feel more secure”, he said.

    Rev Frimpong-Manso said the mandate of the Council was to reach out to those without the gospel, support the churches and also cooperate and support the government in national development.

    A total of 21 new applicants were presented and admitted on two years probation, and thirteen members who had gone through monitoring for two year on probation with good standing orders by the council were confirmed as members.

    Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah, first Vice President of the Council, formally received the new members and charged them to be accountable, responsible and committed, adding that the Association would help and direct them on good Christian practices.

    He charged Christians to live decent and moral lives in their communities draw men to Christ.

    Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, and the second Vice President of GPCC, said doctrinal differences with other churches coming together under an umbrella, made it difficult to control members, but the Council was committed to encouraging and correcting members to help build a kingdom and not a denomination.

    He added that the GPCC had the opportunity to meet with the regional statisticians to educate their members on the 2021 National Population and Housing Census and therefore charged the Christian fraternity to avail themselves to be counted.

    Apostle Nyamekye encouraged Ghanaians to participate in the ongoing census and cooperate well with the enumerators who were spearheading the exercise with accurate data.

    “When they come to your home, don’t drive them away, receive them and cooperate with them because this is an important exercise to the Christian kingdom to get the right number of the population, and also know places we can evangelize and build churches depending on the population”, he said.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Bishop Stephen Owusu Jackson, Chairman of Christian Praise International Center, (CPIC), who had been confirmed as a member of GPCC, said he was privileged to be part of a Christian body that had rules and principles and a voice that spoke on behalf of the Church.

    GPCC is a faith-based organization, and the umbrella with over 240 registered Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian church denominations and para-churches in Ghana, with 13 new members being confirmed to membership and 21 other churches put on probation.

    The conference brought together National Executive Council Members of the Council across the country.

    Source: GNA