Aberdeen University has given Ghana's president an honorary degree despite criticism of the country’s human rights record.

John Dramani Mahama received a law doctorate during a visit to Scotland to promote oil and gas trade links on Friday.

Mr Mahama met ministers at Holyrood after First Minister’s Questions on Thursday but a meeting with opposition leaders was cancelled.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is understood to have discussed the issue of LGBT rights with Mr Mahama at Holyrood.

Ghana is one of 75 countries where it is still illegal to be homosexual and the offence carries a three-year prison sentence.

The president visited businesses in Aberdeen on Friday after the ceremony at Aberdeen University and discussed plans for increased trade between Scotland and Ghana.

A spokesman for the university said: "The decision to confer an honorary degree followed detailed consideration by the honorary degrees committee and was approved by our academic senate.

"This took into account a number of factors including his work on child poverty and children’s rights, the role he has played in the fight against Ebola and our large Ghanaian student and graduate population."

Despite criticism of its justice system, record on dealing with asylum seekers and migrants and discriminatory LGBT policies by Amnesty International, Ghana has been seen as one of west Africa’s more stable economies since its transformation into a multi-party democracy in 1992.