Ghana Cardinal Peter Turkson tok say na time to understand homosexuality

One top cardinal from Ghana don tok say homosexuality no suppose be criminal offence. E tell BBC say dem suppose help pipo understand di issue better.

Cardinal Peter Turkson comments dey come as parliament dey discuss one bill wey dey propose harsh penalties on LGBT pipo.

Im views dey different from dat of di Roman Catholic bishops for Ghana, wey dey of di position say homosexuality dey "shameful".

Last month, Pope Francis bin suggest say im go dey open to have Catholic Church bless same-sex couples.

E however add say di church still consider same-sex relationships "objectively sinful" and no go recognise same-sex marriage.

For July, Ghanaian lawmakers bin support measures for one proposed bill wey go make identifying as LGBT punishable wit a three-year prison sentence and pipo wey campaign for LGBT rights fit also face up to 10 years in jail.

Gay sex already dey against di law and e carry three-year prison sentence.

For dia statement August, wey dem issue along leading Christian groups for di kontri, di Ghanaian bishops also tok say Western kontris suppose "stop di continuous attempts to impose unacceptable foreign cultural values on us", di Catholic Herald newspaper bin report.

Cardinal Turkson, wey pipo one time don reason as future candidate to become pope, tell BBC HARDtalk programme tok say "dem no suppose dey send LGBT go jail as dem no commit any crime".

"Na time to begin education, to help pipo understand wetin dis reality, dis phenomenon be. We need plenty education wey go help pipo... make a difference between wetin be crime and wetin no be crime," e add.

Di cardinal bin refer to di fact say inside one of Ghana languages, Akan, e get one expression of "men wey dey do like women and women wey dey do like men".

E argue say dis show say homosexuality no be imposition from outside.

"If culturally get expressions... e just mean say e no dey completely new to di Ghanaian society."

Nevertheless, Cardinal Turkson tok say im think say wetin lead to di current effort to pass strict anti-gay measures for several African kontris na "attempts to link some foreign donations and grants to certain positions... in di name of freedom, in di name of respect for rights".

Recently, Nigeria goment tok say dem neva sign di New Partnership Agreement between di European Union and kontris wey dey part of di Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

Di Federal goment of Nigeria reveal say nobody bin represent dem for di signing of di New Partnership Agreement between di European Union and kontris wey dey part of di Organization of African, Carribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

According to statement wey di Ministry of Foreign Affairs bring come outside di goment say "di general public dey invited to note say Nigeria bin no dey represented for di signing ceremony wey hold for Samoa for Wednesday, November 15, 2023 and so neva sign di agreement."

Dem add say, "relevant Nigerian stakeholders dey currently look di instrument to make sure say wetin dey inside no go against Nigeria domestic laws."

For May, Uganda parliament bin approve one law wey propose life imprisonment for anyone wey dey guilty of homosexuality, and di death penalty for so-called aggravated cases, wey include to do gay sex wit someone below di age of 18 or where someone become infected wit a life-long illness like HIV.

For August, di World Bank bin pause new loans go Uganda sake of di measure and for October President Joe Biden tok say US go remove di kontri from one preferential trading arrangement because of "gross violations of internationally recognised human rights".

Cardinal Turkson become di first-ever Ghanaian cardinal for 2003 wen Pope John Paul II appoint am. E be chancellor of di Pontifical Academies of Sciences now.