Catholic Bishops slam festival nudity, question police protection

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has strongly condemned acts of public nudity recorded during the Karnival Kingdom Festival held from April 22 to 28, 2026, describing the incident as a violation of Ghanaian laws and a threat to national values.

In a statement issued on Monday, May 4, and signed by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, the Conference said the event, which reportedly took place under police protection, was “an eyesore” that “denigrated our values as a nation” and breached Section 278 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The Bishops called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the event, particularly the role of state institutions. They questioned the decision to provide police protection to participants engaged in what they described as unlawful conduct, raising concerns about possible lapses in official oversight.

“We unequivocally condemn the act of public nudity and call for immediate investigation into the role of State Institutions, and the importation of foreign cultural practices,” the statement said.

The Conference also highlighted what it termed a growing tension between globalised festival culture and Ghana’s legal and cultural framework, cautioning that foreign events must not operate outside the country’s laws.

It further questioned the processes that led to the approval of permits for the festival and the deployment of security personnel, asking: “Who approved the permits and the deployment of police to protect participants engaged in public nudity?”

While commending the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, for calling attention to the matter, the Bishops urged that any investigations be conducted without political interference.

They recommended a comprehensive, impartial inquiry with publicly disclosed findings, a review of event permitting procedures to include clear decency guidelines, and a national dialogue on acceptable limits of cultural expression in public spaces.

The Conference noted that providing police protection for acts that allegedly breach the criminal code represents “a serious failure of official duty” and called for stricter enforcement of the law.