ACCRA, MAY 25, 2018 (CISA)-National Parliament of Ghana has rejected the proposed bill to legalize same sex marriage in the Country.
In the May 22 sitting chaired by Alban Sumani, the Second Deputy Speaker, the Members of Parliament unanimously opposed the bill noting that it did not match with the country’s cultural and national values, reported Ghana News Agency.
Those sentiments were also cited in an earlier joint communiqué issued by the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) and the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) who called upon the government to stand firm and uphold national values.
“The government should not be intimidated to the strong calls and pressure by some international lobbyists on Ghana to consider the legislation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights as well as same sex marriages and relationships because they are alien to the Ghanaian culture,” stated the communiqué.
According to Ghana News Agency, the two bodies committed to resist any attempt, either latent or manifest, by any individual, political party, civil society, human rights activists or government to legalize LGBT rights in the country.
“We are however willing and available to provide the needed pastoral care and support to persons with LGBT tendencies in a non-condemning manner. We pledge to treat such persons with unconditional positive regard at all times,” they said.
They noted further that, “as Christians, who uphold the Bible as our principal guide, we consider same sex unions as unacceptable unions that our God frowns upon.”
The communiqué jointly signed by the General Secretary of CCG Cyril Fayose, Secretary General of GCBC Fr Lazarus Anodee, Seth Agidi the Chairman of CCG and Philip Naameh the president of GCBC was issued at the end of their annual Joint meeting in Accra.
