The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has officially reaffirmed its stance on the proposed anti-gay legislation in Ghana, which aims to criminalize and penalize all forms of homosexuality
This clarification comes amid renewed discussions prompted by the warning from US Ambassador Virginia Palmer, who highlighted potential economic repercussions if the bill, targeting LGBTQ+ activities, is enacted.
A recent survey conducted by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) reveals that a majority of Ghanaians express support for the anti-gay bill.
Addressing the Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs of Parliament, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale and President of the Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, conveyed the Church’s backing for the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.
In the formal letter submitted to Parliament, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference emphasized its support for criminalizing homosexual practices in Ghana.
The letter underscored the moral unacceptability of such practices and pointed out that, based on the 2010 population census, the Catholic Church represents a significant portion of Ghana’s population, approximately 13.1 percent.
The Catholic Bishops elucidated various grounds for advocating the illegality of homosexuality in the country. Their rationale drew from both moral considerations and statistical representation within the Ghanaian population.
Furthermore, the Bishops invoked religious authority, citing the Bible and its teachings on homosexuality as a pivotal basis for their position, aligning it with what they perceive as God’s perspective on the matter.
