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Rev. John Ntim Fordjour
Thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to make this important statement on upholding a resilient public moral standard in this land that is born to us.
Mr. President, based on shared values of respect, dignity, fairness and morality, Human Rights exist for all human beings and are exercised within the context of the law.
Article 11 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana states that the laws of Ghana shall comprise the Constitution, legislation, subsidiary legislation, laws existing before the 1992 Constitution and customary law. Article 11 further explains customary law as the customary law of the country.
In today’s ever-evolving world, it is crucial for us, as a people and nation-state, to take all possible steps to safeguard the values and morals that fundamentally distinguish and determine our identity.
Our Ghanaian society, since the pre-colonial era, has always upheld a culture of morality and decency, and within our cultural and traditional contexts, practices of lesbianism, homosexuality, and other LGBTQI-related practices have long been considered abominable and without reservations so hated.
The concept of family for us as Ghanaians has always been and always will be initiated by marriage between a man and a woman.
Mr. Chairman, I must emphatically emphasize that the fact that some jurisdictions recognize certain forms of life as an acceptable standard does not necessarily make it acceptable in another jurisdiction.
Globalization aims to increase the strengths and values of nation-states; it is certainly not intended to compromise the cultural and moral values it contains.
Mr. President, the Constitution of Ghana clearly prohibits homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality and acts that challenge the basic principles of our beliefs, values, customs and traditions as a people.
On the Cultural Objectives of Ghana, Article 39 (1) of the Fourth Republican Constitution of Ghana clearly states:
“Subject to clause (2) of this article, the State shall take measures to promote the integration of appropriate customary values in the fabric of national life through formal and informal education and the conscious introduction of cultural dimensions in the aspects relevant to national planning ”.
Article 39 (2) further indicates: “The State shall ensure that appropriate customary and cultural values are adapted and developed as an integral part of the growing needs of society as a whole and, in particular, that traditional practices that are harmful for health and well-being – the being of the person was abolished ”.
Strengthened by the aforementioned Article 39 of the Constitution of Ghana, I strongly hold that the practices of homosexuality, lesbianism and bestiality are potentially harmful to the health and well-being of those who may engage in such acts and consequently, should be considered inappropriate. practices of the people of Ghana.
Furthermore, Article 104 of the Criminal Offenses Act 1960 (Law 29) prohibits “unnatural carnal knowledge.” Mr. President, some activists have argued that the provision of ‘unnatural carnal knowledge’ is anachronistic and no longer sufficient to adequately address emerging trends in LGBTQI issues in the country.
Therefore, that school of thought is urging further strengthening of the laws to make them stronger, more inclusive, and stricter in dealing with LGBTQI practices.
Among multi-religious religions and the varied traditional and customary values across the country, there is an overwhelming consensus on the nation’s position in total rejection of LGBTQI practices and advocacy, in accordance with customary law and principles of religions about it. of public morals.
Contrary to the individual idiosyncrasy that LGBTQI practitioners are born to exhibit LGBTQI tendencies, many credible research findings have converged to the conclusion that no biological basis explains LGBTQI orientation and that LBGTQI is a socially acquired lifestyle.
We live in a majority society with consensus on the customs and acceptable standards of public morality; whose consensus has determined that the practices and advocacy of LGBTQI by the relative minority in society are inconsistent with our standards.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s position in line with defending Ghana’s laws against LGBTQI pressures has been made unequivocal, as did some former presidents, notably President John Agyekum Kufuor and President John Evans Atta-Mills. .
While I commend the law enforcement agencies for their efforts in closing the LGBTQI office in Accra, I hereby call for sustained and effective collaboration among all relevant stakeholders, to curb the threat to our public morals.
Mr. President, let me conclude by urging this august House to build consensus on considering a possible private members bill to provide greater clarity and ambiguity to outlaw LGBTQI advocacy and practices in accordance with our standards and values as a people.
Mr. President, I am truly grateful to you.
