The Member of Parliament for Assin South, John Ntim Fordjour, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to give the LGBTQ+ Bill utmost urgency.

In an interview with UTV Ghana, he stressed that it should be given the same level of priority as the E-Levy and other pressing national issues.

"Initially, when Mahama was in opposition, he criticised Akufo-Addo for not signing the bill, stating that 'If I was in power, I would have signed this a long time,'" Fordjour stated.

He urged the president to take swift action and support the existing bill, which aims to criminalise the LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.

However, Fordjour claims that Mahama has changed his stance on the bill.

"Mahama has announced plans to reintroduce the Proper Family Values Bill, aimed at prohibiting LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana. Meanwhile, the existing bill is currently awaiting consideration in parliament," Fordjour added.

The anti-LGBTQ+ Bill in Ghana was passed by Parliament on February 28, 2024, but it wasn't signed into law by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The bill's journey was marked by challenges and controversies.

The bill faced opposition from various human rights groups, with Amnesty International calling for its withdrawal, citing violations of human rights and Ghana's constitution.

The Ghanaian human rights NGO, Rightify Ghana, also condemned the bill, stating it would "steal our freedoms of speech and expression, right to privacy, freedoms of association and assembly, as well as rights to healthcare, employment, housing, and others."

The international community also expressed concerns, with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating that adopting the bill would violate human rights standards.

The European Union and other Western countries threatened to cut aid to Ghana if the bill became law.

Ghana's finance ministry, led by Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, at the time, cautioned President Akufo-Addo against endorsing the bill, highlighting the potential risk of losing substantial World Bank funding, estimated at $3.8 billion.

MRA/AE

Watch the latest Twi news below: