The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishop Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh has pleaded with Ghanaians to make it a habit of respecting the rights and choices of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Life (LGBTQI+) people in the society as they are human beings that equally need protection like everyone else.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Kumasi-based Abusua FM with senior media practitioner, Kojo Marfo, Bishop Naameh explained that although the Catholic Bishop Conference frowns on the sexual orientation choices of LGBTQI+ persons in Ghana, that however shouldn’t be the basis that persons engaged in such activities should be denied basic rights like accommodation and job opportunities.
“Lesbians and gays are humans so we need to respect them. We need to accord them those rights that all human beings enjoy. They should not be denied employment just because they are homosexuals… They should not be denied accommodation…” he said.
When asked by the host, Kojo Marfo further to clarify his position since an earlier communique from his office requested of President Akufo-Addo to openly condemn the activities of LGBTQI in Ghana, Bishop Naameh stated that “The basis for refusing them employment should not be because they are homosexuals. Someone may have an orientation to be gay and another an orientation to be a lesbian but if he’s not acting out this orientation, first of all, he is a human being and has the right to accommodation, to work and to communion with other people and those are rights we should respect.
“We just don’t say that because he has homosexual tendencies, whereas all human beings have a right to something, he should be denied it.”
The Ghana Catholic Bishop’s Conference (GCBC) earlier in a press statement demanded of the government to shut down the recently commissioned office of LGBTQI in the country.
They issued the release after the European Union (EU) in Ghana participated in the opening of office space for LGBTQI+ Rights Ghana and called for equality, tolerance, and respect for the group.
