Emmanuel Martey, head of Ghana’s Presbyterian Church said that gays form part of ‘Satan’s deadly agenda’ aiming to have the country ‘destroyed.’

He ‘explained’ that ‘this is the reason why acclaimed and notorious homosexuals want to attach themselves to Ghana’s presidency to gain access,’ reported Radio XYZ online.

According to Martey who also holds the title of Professor: ‘all homosexuals want to meet in Ghana because of the country’s uniqueness.’

Martey stated today (1 July) that Ghana must not tolerate the ‘satanic practice’ in any form or nuance urging all Ghanaian leaders to ‘wake up’ and take a stand against it.

The cleric made the anti-gay comments as he spoke at the Osu Presbyterian Church to mark the 31st anniversary of the extra-judicial killing of three High Court Judges and a retired army officer by the Rawlings-led Provincial National Defence Council military junta in 1982.

The anniversary of the killing of Justices Fred Poku Sarkodee, Cecilia Koranteng-Addow and Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong is seen as one of the darkest and bloodiest moments in Ghana’s political history, and therefore Martey’s timing of his anti-gay rants was particularly symbolic.

Gay rights has been used as a political weapon in Ghana in the past few years and a method to attract more religious followers, according to local activists.

Within the political arena, President John Mahama was strongly criticized by leading opposition figures for nominating human rights advocate Nana Oye Lithur as Minister of Gender, Children and Social protection.

The two were being blamed for promoting LGBT rights and planning to decriminalize same-sex acts in Ghana with the help a ‘gay lobby’.

Lithur and Mahama became the focus of a smear campaign by the opposition National Patriotic Party and religious leaders.

As ‘evidence’ of the ‘gay lobby’, Ghana’s opposition party alleged that renowned gay rights advocate Andrew Solomon met President Mahama following the circulation of a picture of the two at the latter’s book launch ‘My first coup d’etat’ in New York.

Last year Ghana’s vice president, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur also faced widespread allegations that he is gay.

These extensive anti-gay hate campaigns have incited homophobia in Ghana, recently leading Ghanaian high schools kicked out pupils, claiming they were ‘recruiting’ others into being gay.

In 2012 the outgoing US ambassador to Ghana spoke out against homophobia and urged leaders to have an open and respectful dialogue on LGBT rights.

Under Ghanaian law, male same-sex sexual activity is illegal. Gay men can also be punished under provisions concerning assault and rape.

The US Department of State’s 2010 Human Rights Report revealed widespread and deeply held homophobic views.

It states: ‘LGBT persons faced widespread discrimination, as well as police harassment and extortion attempts. Gay men in prison often were subjected to sexual and other physical abuse.’