Minority Accuses Government of Deliberately Delaying Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill
NPP Minority alleges attempts to frustrate passage of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill amid conflicting political positions.
- Minority accuses government of backtracking on the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
- It claims conflicting positions are delaying passage of the legislation
- Minority insists the original 2024 version should be passed without changes
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the government of deliberately stalling the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, while attempting to manage the political fallout from what it describes as a shift in position.
In a statement issued on Thursday, June 4, and signed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the caucus cited what it called inconsistent statements from key figures within the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding the bill.
The Minority argued that the controversy deepened after Parliament passed the amended version of the legislation. It referenced comments attributed to President John Dramani Mahama suggesting that Parliament may not have met the required quorum during the passage of the bill.
It also pointed to calls by Speaker Alban Bagbin for the bill to be reconsidered at the Committee of the Whole, as well as reported disagreements from the Majority Leader, describing these developments as contradictory.
“The NPP believes these contradictions reflect an attempt to frustrate the Bill’s enactment while managing the political consequences of abandoning a position that the NDC once vigorously championed,” the statement said.
The caucus further claimed that the NDC’s current stance differs from its position while in opposition, when it strongly supported the 2024 version of the bill and criticised delays in its approval.
According to the Minority, the reintroduced bill—after undergoing 31 amendments—departs significantly from the original position previously supported by the governing party.
It maintained that Ghanaians who supported the NDC based on its earlier stance deserve consistency in the handling of the legislation.
The Minority reiterated its call for the version of the bill passed by the 8th Parliament in 2024 to be maintained and forwarded for presidential assent without further changes.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill remains one of Ghana’s most controversial legislative proposals, with ongoing debate over its content, constitutionality, and legislative process.
