Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, Founder and President of the Worldwide Miracle Outreach, has criticized fellow clergy members for their silence regarding the anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed earlier this year.
Despite the bill being contested in the Supreme Court due to legal challenges, Dr. Tetteh believes President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo should have swiftly signed it into law.
He has vowed to march to the seat of government if the bill receives endorsement from the Supreme Court and the president fails to sign it.
"I’ll march to the Jubilee House. I think it's about time we make politicians know we voted them into power. The cowardice that Christian leaders and religious leaders have been reduced to is a shame and I'm embarrassed by some of our clergymen," he noted.
Expressing his disappointment, Dr. Tetteh emphasized the need for religious leaders to speak out against such matters. He highlighted the importance of taking action and not succumbing to pressure or the desire to impress certain individuals.
"It starts from the clergymen. It starts from the religious clerics. It starts from the home of the Chief Iman. It starts from the Chairman of Christian Council. It starts from the Apostolic leaders. It starts from Apostolic fathers. It also starts from the Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Anglicans. But also beyond that, it starts from the charismatic leaders.
"We [clergymen] have been too quiet. And as much as we are grumbling, everybody wants to impress certain people and that nonsense, for me, must stop," he said.
The Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (anti-LGBTQ+ bill), passed by Parliament on February 28, 2024, criminalizes LGBTQ+ activities and their promotion, advocacy, and funding. Offenders could face imprisonment of up to three years, while promoters and sponsors may face three to five years in jail.
President Akufo-Addo has stated that he will await the Supreme Court's resolution of the legal challenges before making a final decision on the bill.
Dr. Lawrence Tetteh