Anglican Archbishop Who Pushed for Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws in Ghana Is Now Suddenly Calling the Bill Cruel

The Anglican Primate of West Africa, Archbishop Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, has publicly opposed anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Ghana during a broadcast interview. His sudden rejection of the parliamentary-approved legislation marks a stark reversal from his previous support for the harsh measures. Human rights organisations have heavily condemned the pending legislation, describing it as a cruel bill that violates fundamental freedoms.

The news came after the Ghanaian parliament passed the severe Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill earlier this year. This controversial legislation punishes the promotion, sponsorship, or support of same-sex activities with up to five years in prison. It also mandates a strict duty to report prohibited acts, putting friends and family members at risk of prosecution.

While the proposed law forces ordinary citizens to act as informants, it grants specific exemptions for journalists, medical professionals, and lawyers. However, anyone else failing to report suspected queer individuals could face up to three years behind bars. This creates an environment of intense paranoia, tearing communities apart and pushing vulnerable populations into hiding.

For context, Ben-Smith led Ghanaian bishops in late 2021 to loudly advocate for legislation that would criminalise sexual minorities. He previously demanded prison sentences for anyone self-identifying as queer, drawing immediate criticism from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. By 2022, Ben-Smith signed a statement insisting that citizens should not use the legislation to physically assault homosexual persons.

Despite his earlier pleas for non-violence, the Archbishop doubled down on his severe religious rhetoric earlier this year. A statement reported in October 2021 claimed the church views such identities as complete unrighteousness. He even cited ancient scripture to argue that same-sex intimacy was an abomination traditionally punishable by death.

A Sudden Shift in Tone on Television

However, the Archbishop offered a noticeably softer stance while speaking to the British Broadcasting Corporation last week. 'Our point in our province is very clear, we do not support the criminalisation of gay persons,' Ben-Smith told in an interview. He added that queer individuals have lived in the country for a long time and have never been a problem.

This abrupt U-turn raises questions about why the high-ranking religious leader has suddenly walked back his militant rhetoric. During the interview, the reporter noted that individuals are now fleeing to the UK to claim asylum due to escalating fear. The journalist argued that the church's past endorsement of the legislation gave citizens a green light to discriminate.

Acknowledging this grim reality, Ben-Smith stated that the church feels compelled to clarify it does not want people facing criminal charges. It is a wild situation for human rights advocates watching the spiritual leader of two million Anglicans reverse course so publicly. Still, the Archbishop maintained that the Anglican Church holds traditional views, asserting that God created only male and female.

Attempting to balance these conflicting ideas, Ben-Smith added a caveat regarding the humanity of those targeted by the legislation. He explicitly stated that queer individuals are all children of God and insisted that God loves them. Yet, his softening stance against the severe law might not be enough to actually protect persecuted individuals on the ground.

Widespread Condemnation Amid Regional Crackdowns

The impending law has drawn fierce backlash from the United Nations, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch. The Human Rights Campaign recently labelled the legislation a cruel bill that openly violates the fundamental rights of marginalised people. David Stacy, a representative for the organisation, condemned lawmakers for wrongly using their power to strip away basic human dignity.

Ghana is currently one of five West African nations actively cracking down on homosexuality, joining Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Senegal. Interestingly, Ghana is the only majority-Christian nation on that specific list, with 71.3 per cent of its citizens practicing Christianity. In contrast, only 19.9 per cent of the Ghanaian population practices Islam, making the Anglican Church's influence exceptionally powerful.

Across the border in Burkina Faso, the ruling military junta declared in September that same-sex intimacy is now a punishable offence. Meanwhile, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed a bill in March doubling prison terms for similar acts to ten years. These coordinated political moves are rapidly transforming the entire region into an increasingly hostile environment for sexual minorities.

Uganda remains the most extreme example on the continent, having implemented a notorious law in 2023 with horrific penalties. Their legislation includes the death penalty for certain acts, setting a terrifying precedent for neighbouring lawmakers to follow. Whether Ben-Smith's newfound moderation will ultimately soften the final implementation of the Ghanaian law remains a lingering, unanswered question.