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It’s an eyesore! …Catholic Bishops slam Karnival Kingdom Festival
What was supposed to give another dimension to Ghana’s growing creative industry has ignited the anger of a section of the clergy.
Championing the call for an investigation into how ‘law breakers’ enjoyed police protection is the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) who described the maiden ‘Karnival Kingdom Festival’ on April 22-28, 2026 as an ‘eyesore’.
In the view of the conference, the provision of police protection for acts that breached the criminal code represents a serious failure of official duty.
The event turned parts of the city of Accra into an ultimate ‘Soca paradise,’ as carnival enthusiasts from around the world joined Ghanaians for an unforgettable fusion of lively music, epicparties, and deep cultural connection.
Organisers of the event described the Karnival Kingdom Festival as “not just another destination event; but a bold new premium experience that redefines what it means to celebrate. At its core, it’s about reconnecting with the motherland, bringing carnival culture back to the place where its spirit was born. From the rhythmic heartbeat of the drums to the colours of mothers, this is a return to source, a celebration of heritage, and a unifying call to joy.”
But in the eyes of the Bishops, what was seen and paraded on the streets was ‘sacrilege’, “denigrating our values as a nation and breached the laws of our land (CF section 278 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, Act 29).”
In response, its widely publicised statement took note of the public nudity at the festival during which participants received police protection.
The statement signed by Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Conference demanded for investigation and unequivocally condemn the act of public nudity.
“We call for immediate investigation into the role of state institutions, and the importation of foreign cultural practices. The presence of police protection for participants raises serious questions about official oversight.”
It said the event reflects a clash between globalised festival culture and Ghana’s established legal standards, adding that, “An imported event cannot claim exemption from Ghanaian law. Cultural exchange must respect the host nation’s laws and values.”
Raising issues about governance, the Bishops questioned which agencies issued permits and the deployment of police to protect participants engaged in public nudity and wondered why state agencies responsible for protecting public order may have facilitated rather than prevented the misconduct.
The Conference urges all parties to allow the investigative process to proceed without undue political pressure.
As a result, it recommended a thorough impartial investigation with public findings; review of permit processes with clear decency guidelines; an inquiry into why police protection was provided; and a national dialogue on limits of cultural expression in public spaces.
The conference also commended the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin South, Mr John Ntim Fordjour, for his call in this direction.
By Andrew Nortey
The family of Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a distinguished statesman and diplomat, has paid a courtesy call on President John Dramani Mahama. They officially informed him of his passing.
The delegation, representing the Gbeho family, noted that it was culturally and diplomatically important to formally notify the President of the loss before making a public announcement of his death.
Ambassador Gbeho was a towering figure in Ghanaian and international politics. He served in many diplomatic missions, including New York. He was Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, a Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency, and President (formerly Executive Secretary) of the ECOWAS Commission.
He was widely respected for his role in regional integration and his contributions to global diplomacy at the United Nations.
President Mahama expressed his condolences and shared reflections on Ambassador Gbeho’s contributions to the country, West Africa and the world.
Funeral details will be announced later.
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has revoked all firearm permits in Ghana with immediate effect and announced a new registration process for all gun owners.
The minister made the announcement on Tuesday, June 23, at the information service department saying all individuals who currently hold licences to own firearms or sidearms must undergo a fresh registration process.
“From this afternoon, all permits that have been granted to any individual that you are holding a sidearm or firearm is hereby revoked,” Mr Muntaka said.
He explained that the government had identified gaps in the country’s firearm registration system and needed to introduce stricter measures to improve public safety.
“We are opening the window where everyone will have to come forward again to register or re-register the gun because we’ve changed the procedure,” he stated.
According to him, the government decided not to wait until the end of the year to make the changes because lives could still be saved within the next six months.
The Interior Minister said one of the new requirements would be mandatory mental health screening for applicants seeking firearm licences.
“We’ve seen that people with mental health have already gone through and have the sidearm. Now we are introducing mental health. Before we give you the sidearm, we have to be sure that you have the mental stability to hold the firearms,” he said.
Mr Muntaka also announced that applicants would be required to undergo drug tests before being granted licences.
“We’ve also realised that people who are on drugs are also holding their arms and they are legitimate because it’s been registered. Now you have to go through drug tests to be sure that you are not on drugs before you can hold sidearms,” he added.
The minister said the new measures form part of efforts by the government to tighten firearm control and prevent legally registered weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
He urged all firearm owners to cooperate with the new registration process once details of the exercise are announced.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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