‘Declare position on homosexuality’
Major religious groups have called on the government to declare its position on the legalisation of homosexuality in the country.
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The religious bodies in affiliation with the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual and Family Values, a civil society group, stated that homosexuality should not be encouraged at any level in the country.
The groups – including the Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the Moslem Council and traditional authorities – insists that the legalisation of homosexuality would destroy the basic unit of society.
Other para-Christian groups that are affiliated with the coalition include the Scripture Union, the Ghana Fellowship of Evangelical Students, Aglow Ghana and Full Gospel fellowship.
Tell us our position
Reverend Dr Anyani Boadum, Chairperson of the coalition, speaking at a news conference in Accra yesterday, said “policy makers must come out to tell us what our position as a nation on homosexuality is”.
He said portions of the reviewed constitution, which he had spotted, suggested that “homosexuality would not be encouraged for now due to public reaction, contending, “That shows that we might in future change our position.”
Rev. Dr Boadum, who kicked against any attempt to redefine marriage in Ghana, said “there are certain lines which you cannot cross and should not be crossed”.
Battle of morality
Nii Odatuo III, who represented the Osu Mantse and the traditional authority, stressed that it was important to protect Ghanaian cultural values.
Apostle Samuel Yaw Antwi, Secretary General of the Ghana Pentecostal Council, said the western world had lost the battle of morality “but they do not want to admit it; that is why they want us to follow them”.
No stigmatisation
A Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Dzifa Abla Gomashie cautioned that pushing away people who found themselves in such situation through stigmatisation, name calling or disrespecting them, would not solve the problem.
Moses Foh Amoani, President of the Emmanuel University College, the brain behind the coalition, said the coalition intended to create awareness through forums and interaction with the youth and would also work with the counselling unit of the Ghana Education Service.
Effects
A psychologist from the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Kwadwo Obeng, stated that homosexuality had negative consequences such as increasing the spread on HIV and AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections and increasing incidence of oral and throat cancer, adding that homicidal, suicidal and paedophile tendencies were common among homosexuals.