Hundreds of Christians took to the major streets of the Sekondi–Takoradi Metropolis to register a strong stand against homosexuality and any other sexual behaviours, which are in contravention with their faith and Ghanaian norms.
Drawn from the Western Regional Network of Ministers, churches and councils, the protestors held placards reading; “LGBTQI+ is a taboo”, “God created Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve”, and “Even animals don’t practice LGBTQ+”.
Others read; “Say no to any form of unnatural intimacy,” “Normal women marry men”, and “Leave a good Legacy for your generation,” to register their abhorrence of the practice, which they describe as an affront to God’s will and purpose for procreation and multiplication.
The walk, which started at the Asempa Hotel in Takoradi, ended at the Western Regional Coordinating Council in Sekondi.
Bishop Emmanuel Kwesi Ansah, the Methodist Bishop of Sekondi and Chairman of the Network, then presented an official paper to the Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah.
Bishop Ansah reminded Ghanaians of how God punished the City of Sodom and Gomorrah, many years ago, for the “same uncouth sexual pattern in deviance to the natural order.”
“This is why we expect the Government to give a sense of urgency to our crusade against LGBTQI+ and to facilitate the passing into law the Promotion of Proper Human Sex Rights and Ghanaian Family Values before Parliament,” he said.
The Network was determined to rid the Western Region, a main industrial and tourist attraction to many and the Nation in general, of those cancerous vices, Bishop Ansah said.
He said Ghanaian culture and traditions and the dictates of the Christian faith must stand supreme to any idealogy of rights and freedoms.
“The leadership of the Churches in the Western Region had resolved to take a firm and resolute position on the matter in order not to disappoint the Christian faith.”
Bishop Ansah informed the Minister that the Network was putting in place counselling centres to offer help to perpetrators or victims in absolute confidentiality to enable them to reconstruct their lives.
The centres will also intensify prayers on the subject and visit educational institutions to educate the youth on the need to eschew the vice.
He called on the church to deepen its commitment to the teaching of Christian family values.
The Network would ultimately develop a homosexuality document for the teaching of children, youth and adults in all churches, he noted.
Mr Darko-Mensah, who welcomed the team, said the Government was mindful of the sensibilities, cultural and constitutional requirements as a sovereign nation and would not, in any way, compromise those guiding principles.
He pledged to inform the President about the Network’s aspirations for the nation.
Later, the leadership prayed for the Government and citizens and asked for God’s blessings for a peaceful and congenial atmosphere in Ghana.