Haruna Iddrisu, the Education Minister-Designate, has expressed strong opposition to LGBTQ+ practices, describing them as incompatible with his personal values, religious beliefs, and Ghana’s cultural and moral framework.
Speaking at his vetting before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on January 20, 2025, Iddrisu emphasized his stance as a Muslim and reaffirmed his commitment to upholding Ghanaian traditions.
“It’s a cultural wrong. With my religion as a Muslim, you know where I stand on this matter. It is repugnant to my Muslim values and ethics,” he stated.
Iddrisu further highlighted the importance of preserving Ghanaian social and cultural norms, saying:
“We are a country that defines its values—both social and cultural—and we should expect all other persons to respect those values.”
His comments align with President John Dramani Mahama’s recent proposal during a meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference on January 14, 2025, to reintroduce the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill as a government-sponsored initiative. President Mahama argued that such sponsorship would lend the bill greater legitimacy and improve its chances of approval in Parliament.
Iddrisu also noted:
“I do not believe that many Ghanaian parents would want their children trained in ways inconsistent with how we were brought up as Ghanaians—that a man can relate to a man and a woman to a woman. We have a duty to preserve our values within the ambit of the constitution.”
The remarks underscore the ongoing debate surrounding the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill and Ghana’s efforts to balance cultural values with constitutional rights.