By Daniel Bampoe
As the national conversation on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill intensifies, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has stepped into the debate with a strong message: the country must not treat moral values and economic development as competing priorities.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Top Story, Rev. Fr. Michael Quaicoe, Director of Governance, Justice and Peace at the Conference, argued that framing the debate as a choice between economic progress and moral principles creates a misleading narrative that undermines true national development.
“A nation truly prosperous is the combination of the pursuit of both economic excellence and the upholding of moral values,” he stated, emphasizing that development must reflect both material wellbeing and the ethical foundation of society.
A Debate Rekindled By Politics And Policy
The Catholic Church’s intervention comes at a time when the Anti-LGBTQ Bill has once again returned to the centre of the political and social discourse.
Originally introduced in 2021 and passed by Parliament in February 2024, the bill failed to receive presidential assent before the dissolution of Parliament, causing it to lapse.
Its reintroduction in the Ninth Parliament has revived strong opinions across the country, with religious bodies—including the Catholic Church—firmly backing its passage, while President John Mahama indicates that the bill is not one of his priorities.
The issue gained renewed political traction following recent comments by President John Dramani Mahama, who indicated during a March 30 engagement with civil society organisations that although the bill is important, it is not among the most pressing priorities facing the country.
The President pointed to pressing national challenges such as economic recovery, job creation, healthcare, and education as areas requiring urgent attention.
Church Counters Government’s Framing
However, Rev. Fr. Quaicoe challenged this prioritisation framework, cautioning against what he described as a “false separation” between moral and economic considerations.
“So it is not one over the other. It is not a question of this or that. It is more a question of this and that,” he stressed.
According to him, sustainable development cannot be achieved if moral values are sidelined in favour of economic gains.
He argued that a nation’s identity, cohesion, and long-term stability are rooted not only in economic indicators but also in its ethical and cultural foundations.
Religious Influence
The position of the Catholic Bishops reflects a broader consensus among many religious and traditional leaders in Ghana, who have consistently advocated for the passage of the bill as a means of safeguarding cultural and moral values.
