Homosexuality: No amount of pressure will change our stance

The Christian Council of Ghana is demanding that government states in clear terms the country's stance on homosexuality.

This follows an indication given by President Akufo-Addo that the country's position on the act could change if there is strong advocacy.

For now, any act considered to be unnatural is considered by the country's laws as illegal.

Speaking to Aljazeera’s Jane Dutton the president said the country's culture and tradition for now does not allow the legalisation of homosexuality but was quick to add that if public opinion changes, the law may just be ammended.

“This is a social, cultural issue, I don’t believe that in Ghana so far, a sufficiently strong coalition has emerged which is having that impact on public opinion that will say ‘change it, let’s now have a new paradigm in Ghana.’

“At the moment, I don’t feel, I don’t see that in Ghana there is that strong current of opinion that is saying this is something we need to deal with. It is not so far a matter that is on the agenda,” he added.

But the Christian Council is not impressed with this response.

General Secretary of the Council, Rev. Dr Kwabena Opuni Frimpong said like the late president John Evans Attah Mills, the president must be clear on his stance because as far as he is concerned the country will not accept homosexuality.

“He [late Mills] was very exact and that is what we want to hear from our leaders today or tomorrow.

“Maybe I didn’t hear him well, so somebody should come and explain to us exactly the policy direction of this government as far as same sex marriage is concerned, it will help us,” he added.

With the president’s position, Rev Dr Frimpong fears that if pressure is piled on government by advocates of homosexuality, it may cause a change in the law and the legalisation of homosexuality.

That, however, in his view should not happen in the country.

“In public policy they say that what governments do or decide not to do are all policies so if we hear that one day if somebody can put pressure on Ghana we may change…

“Somebody needs to be very clear that we don’t need pressure to change. We want to keep what is good for us, even if we are poor,” he added.

Source: myjoyonline.com

November 27, 2017