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Richard Ahiagbah, the Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged President John Dramani Mahama to honor his campaign promise by signing the controversial Anti-Gay Bill into law.
Ahiagbah’s remarks come in response to President Mahama’s recent proposal that a government-sponsored bill could better address the issue than the existing Private Member’s Bill. The President suggested that such a bill would allow for broader consultation and foster national consensus.
During a meeting with Ghanaian bishops on Tuesday, January 14, President Mahama also advocated for revising school curricula to include moral and cultural teachings that reinforce Ghanaian and African values.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, January 16, Ahiagbah accused President Mahama of failing to uphold his election pledge to sign the LGBTQ+ Bill in its current form.
“H.E. John Mahama is running away from signing the LGBTQ+ Bill after promising to do so in its current form. Elections have consequences, and H.E. Mahama must not shift the goalpost. Sign the bill as you have pledged to Ghanaians,” Ahiagbah stated.
The contentious bill seeks to criminalize activities linked to LGBTQI+ advocacy, imposing penalties on those promoting, funding, or indirectly supporting such activities. Proponents argue that the legislation is essential to safeguard Ghanaian cultural and family values, which they claim are under threat from external ideologies.
Supporters of the bill emphasize its importance in preserving societal morals and cultural identity. Meanwhile, critics, including human rights advocates, condemn it as a violation of fundamental freedoms, such as expression, association, and equality under the law.
The debate over the Anti-Gay Bill has reignited tensions between proponents of traditional values and advocates for human rights, as Ghana awaits President Mahama’s decision on the matter.
