Christian Service University College (CSUC) has on Friday, November 5, 2021 held its 3 rd
public lecture to stimulate engagement on theological, legal and scientific perspectives on the
raging debate concerning Ghana’s stance on LGBTQI+ rights. The lecture, chaired by the
Amakomhene, Nana Adu Mensah Asare, brought together experienced and astute
practitioners related to the three dimensions on the topic.
Addressing the audience, the President of the institution, Professor Sam Afrane noted that the
lecture formed part of the University’s contribution to nation building.
“One of the notable services we provide to society is to educate the public on topical national
issues by providing a forum for critical, objective and intellectual discourse. Through this, we
are able to shed light on national issues and shape public opinion on critical matters of
interest to the populace,” Prof. Afrane stated.
He recounted that the first public lecture in 2017 was on Managing Post Electoral Conflicts
in Ghana whilst the second in 2019 was on Dealing with Corruption Menace in Ghana.
Delivering the first lecture titled “LGBT+: The Science and Health Implications,” Dr. Isaac Newman Arthur shared research findings as well as
personal experiences as a medical doctor and clinical health psychologist, on the health of LGBTQI+ persons.
He explained that the world’s biggest genetic research which took decades between 1983 and
2003, and involved some 500,000 participants did not agree that some individuals were born
gays in the way their advocates seek to describe it.
“It is the single largest study of human genomes and how genetics influence physical
structure and functioning of the human body, and none of the 22,300 genomes that were
identified with humans say that people are born gays,” Dr. Arthur, noted.
Explaining the influences that drive people to adopt such orientations, he pointed out that a
study of the LGBTQI+ community pointed to only 6% having hormonal problems and brain changes with some 93% of the LGBTQI+ community
actually picking up such behaviours
and other lifestyle from social influences.
Dr Arthur further relayed some distressing stories of persons who have developed bowel incontinence (involuntary leakage of faeces
because the anus cannot close due to sexual penetration), psychological trauma, anal cancers and high susceptibility to HIV/AIDS
after they were introduced to gay sexual practice.
Speaking on the theological perspective of the topic, retired Anglican Bishop of the Internal
Province of Ghana, Most. Rev. Prof. Daniel Yinka Sarfo recounted scriptures about God’s
original plan for creation of male and female in God’s own image and likeness, and the
several examples of punishments that befell persons who engaged in gay acts in the Bible.
He assured that the Christian community in Ghana is unified in its position of supporting the
bill for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Values, and gave his word that the
Christian community is ready to receive LGBTQI+ members into their fold for counselling,
support and rehabilitation.
For his part, a Private Legal Practitioner and Executive Secretary for the Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values,
Mr. Moses Foh-Amoaning decried the propagandist agenda championed by LGBTQI+ advocates to trumpet headlines like
discrimination against minority groups; trampling human rights; torture and hate speech, to fight voices of reason opposing an agenda
alien to the culture and values of the overwhelmingly large population of Ghanaians.
Reading from an LGBTQI+ advocacy rule book to support his argument, Mr. Foh-Amoaning
quoted an advocacy strategy, “in any campaign to win the public, gays must be seen as the
victims in need of protection so that the straight will be inclined by reflex to assume the role
of protectors. Our campaign should not highlight direct approval of homosexual activities but
focus on discrimination, identity, minority and human rights.”
Challenging the legal arguments about Ghana’s breach of international legal obligations, he
pointed out: “they say that Ghana has breached international covenants and they quote UN
Charters; Universal Declaration on Human Rights; Economic, Cultural and Social Rights;
Political and Civil Rights; the Covenant of The Rights of The Child and the Covenant on
Torture and Violence.” But in none of these, is the standard expression “sexual orientation”.
The UN Charter was signed in 1945 when LGBTQI activities were illegal even in the United
States and the United Kingdom. “So, under what circumstances are they saying that we
signed all these charters?” he queried. He added that the Vienna Convention on the Law of
Treaties emphasizes that no one can reproduce an interpretation which is different from the
obligations that any country undertook at the time that country was signing unto the treaty.
Foh-Amoaning Esq. further warned that the country stood a risk of having more persons
recruited into the LGBTQI+ community if what has come to be called the anti-LGBTQI+ bill
is not passed into law to contain the activities and advocacy of the community. He further
urged parents to be mindful of the growth and sexual developments of their children,
especially, within their developmental ages, as that stage is remarkably prone to influences on
sexual orientation.
During his closing remarks, the Amakomhene, Nana Adu Mensah Asare, a traditional ruler in
Kumasi, who chaired the function indicated that the sexual activities of the LGBTQI+
community was such an abhorrent subject for which any advocate would have been banished
from traditional society. Participants at the forum which included academics and
representatives of traditional authorities, civil society organisations, and members of the
general public had opportunity to engage with the speakers through the question-and-answer
session.
Report By:
Anastasia C. Erzuah, Public Relations Office, CSUC
