UK-Based Ghanaian Shares Why He Can't Visit Home: 'I Want to Live as Who I Am'
A Ghanaian entrepreneur and asylum seeker living in the United Kingdom has opened up about the personal cost of Ghana's anti-LGBTQ+ bill, revealing he cannot visit his family back home without hiding his true identity. His story highlights a growing conversation about inclusion, talent retention, and the future of Ghana's global diaspora community.
Bediack Kusi Boateng, who now lives openly in the UK, told the BBC that the situation for LGBTQ+ people in Ghana remains deeply challenging. His comments come as the controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill awaits presidential assent, a decision that could shape Ghana's international reputation and its appeal to global investors and partners.
What does the anti-LGBTQ+ bill mean for Ghanaians abroad?
For Boateng, the bill is not just politics. It is personal. He explained that many LGBTQ+ Ghanaians live in constant fear, carefully monitoring how they speak, walk, and dress to avoid suspicion.
“When you are going out, you have to check everything. Is it safe? Can I trust this person with who I am? In Ghana, you don't really have to say anything. Even the way you talk, the way you walk, people might become suspicious of you,” he shared.
This reality has forced Boateng to make a painful choice: stay in the UK and live authentically, or return to Ghana and hide a core part of himself.
Why can't he visit Ghana despite having family there?
Boateng said he misses his family dearly, but the thought of pretending to be someone else is too heavy a burden.
“Visiting Ghana would be difficult. It's a sad situation for me, especially having a family there, but I can't visit because I really want to live like who I am without needing to pretend, without needing to lie to anybody,” he added.
His situation reflects a broader challenge for Ghana: how to balance cultural values with the realities of a globalized world where diaspora Ghanaians are key drivers of investment, innovation, and soft power.
What did he say about President Mahama's UK visit?
Boateng also weighed in on President John Dramani Mahama's recent trip to the UK, expressing disappointment that journalists did not press the president harder on whether he would assent to the bill.
“They didn't even push him very much to get that answer. They just left it in blankets for him,” Boateng said.
The president's position remains closely watched by international observers, human rights groups, and business leaders who see inclusivity as a marker of economic openness.
Can dialogue and education bridge the divide?
Despite the challenges, Boateng holds onto hope. He pointed to the recent engagement of the Archbishop of Canterbury in Ghana as a potential turning point for greater understanding.
“I'm hoping the archbishop will use this visit to educate them that queer people were born like that. It's not as if it's a choice or a lifestyle that we want to lead,” he concluded.
As Ghana positions itself as a rising hub for business and innovation in Africa, the question of inclusivity is becoming impossible to ignore. Diaspora voices like Boateng's are part of a larger conversation about the kind of society Ghana wants to build, one that is open, competitive, and ready for the future.
For now, Boateng remains in the UK, building his life and watching from afar, hoping that one day he can come home without compromise.