Northern women resolve to discourage same-sex relationships

Tamale, Nov 13, GNA – Women groups of the three religions - Christianity, Islamic and Tradition in the Northern Region, have resolved to work to discourage same-sex relationships emerging in the Ghanaian society.

Madam Hajai Hajara Telley, President of the Inter-Faith Women Association, a northern Ghana-based NGO, who presented the resolution on behalf of the women groups at a press conference in Tamale on Sunday said, “gay rights are not human rights”.

She added that indulging in homosexual acts “is a taboo in Africa, it is against our rich culture and tradition, and reduces human beings to the level of animals”.

The women groups all of whom have appended their signatures to the resolution include Muslim Women of Northern Region, Presbyterian Women, Council of Catholic Women, Anglican Women, Market Women’s Association and the Police Wives Association.

The resolution stated that “Lesbian and gay lifestyles are against the Holy books of Bible and Koran upon which our faith and lives are built and we shall never accept or allow such lifestyles or practices in our society”.

It said, “We resolve to reject and take up a fight against the British Prime Minister, David Cameron’s threat to withhold United Kingdom’s aid to governments that do not reform legislation banning homosexuality”.

It said, “We prefer to die of lack of his support to reduce ourselves to the level of animals – homosexuals and especially to go against our faith, the divine law and our culture and tradition”.

It called on Heads of educational institutions to ensure that moral education lessons include talks against gayism and lesbianism, and homosexuality as a taboo and against the country’s tradition and culture.

The resolution called on Parliament to pass a law banning gay and lesbian, homosexual and same-sex marriages with fines on all those who abetted such practices.

It also called on government to serve all NGOs and departmental heads with a memo to dismiss homosexual students.

It further resolved to collaborate with bishops, priests, pastors, Imans and lay religious leaders to fight against the practice of homosexuality in the Ghanaian society.