Clergy Men Against Oye Lithur Told: 'Ghana Is A Democracy Not Theocracy'

The National Coordinator of the Domestic Violence Coalition is asking a group calling itself Concerned Clergy Association to stop hounding the minister designate for Gender, Children, and Social Protection in public.

Adolf Awuku said the group must proceed to Parliament, the appropriate institution to register their protest against the appointee.

The Group claims Nana Oye Lithur- a known gay rights activist- will be detrimental to Ghana's image if approved by Parliament.

Lithur was vociferous in her criticisms against persons who, last year, attacked a group of men and women suspected to be gays and lesbians.

The group is also kicking against the newly appointed Executive Secretary to the President, Raymond Atuguba who it claims has liberal views on homosexuals.

The group's spokesman Bishop Prince Benny Wood alleged Dr. Atuguba, who was also the Executive Secretary of the Constitution Review Commission failed to make any recommendations to the President on the subject of homosexuality despite the fact that 98% of the submissions that the Commission received regarding homosexuality opposed it.

In an interview with Joy News the National Coordinator of the Domestic Coalition questioned the timing of the group's petition and the strategy they have adopted in carrying out their protests.

Adolf Awuku advised the minister designate not to respond to the group in public.

“If these clergy men have any opposition to her nomination, I think the appropriate avenue for seeking redress will be to appeal to the vetting committee which sitting will be held in public.

“I am surprised that they will come at her at the time they are coming at her. What wrong did she do? Going to the rescue of human beings who were being lynched, who were being evicted from their homes for choosing to live differently from us.

“…So long as she goes out to protect law abiding citizens, I don't think there should be any grounds to object to her nomination.

“…The fact that majority of us are Christians does not mean only Christian views are be respected in this country. We are in a democracy. We are not in a theocracy and I don't think the best way to elevate God is to go persecuting and attacking people who we don't think are living right, he said.