A Ghanaian politician fighting to be president has said, if elected, he would have all gay people killed by firing squad.

George Boateng has vowed to unseat President John Mahama in the National Democratic Congress party’s presidential primaries in November.

And in doing so, has already started making pronouncements about what he will deliver if he is elected.

Speaking on Kasapa radio, he said it was time to ‘eradicate’ homosexuality from Ghana.

He said: ‘There is too much indiscipline in Ghana, under my presidency when a corrupt person, gay or lesbian are arrested the law will make it possible for the courts to sentence the offender to death by firing squad.

‘It will be a public event to be witnessed by all to serve as a deterrent. There must be a house cleaning exercise to clear all such terrible acts from the society’.

Gay sex is currently illegal in Ghana, punishable by up to three years in jail if it is consensual. There is uncertainty over whether female homosexuality is illegal. Violence against LGBTI people is widespread but highly under-reported and not prosecuted.