GHANA CARDINAL PETER TURKSON: IT'S TIME TO UNDERSTAND HOMOSEXUALITY

Cardinal Peter Turkson's comments come as parliament discusses a bill imposing harsh penalties on LGBT people. His views are at odds with Roman Catholic bishops in Ghana, who say homosexuality is "despicable".

Last month, Pope Francis suggested he would be open to having the Catholic Church bless same-sex couples. He added, however, that the Church still considered same-sex relationships "objectively sinful" and would not recognise same-sex marriage.

In July, Ghanaian MPs backed measures in a proposed bill, which has still not completed its passage through parliament, that would make identifying as LGBT punishable with a three-year prison sentence. People who campaign for LGBT rights could also face up to 10 years in jail. Gay sex is already against the law and carries a three-year prison sentence.