‘Technicalities of law are being used to delay passage of anti-gay bill into law' – Chief Imam’s spokesperson

Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, has expressed concern over issues relating to the approval of the controversial Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (anti-gay bill) into law.

Speaking in an interview on TV3 on April 11, 2024, Sheikh Shaibu said that the actions of the government suggest that it is not in sync with the will of Ghanaians, who, through their representatives in the Parliament of Ghana, have indicated that they want the bill to become a law.

He said that it now appears that the government is hiding behind some legal issues to prevent it from approving the anti-gay bill into law; adding that if the bill is not assented in 2024, parliament must restart the processes for a law to be enacted against LGBT+ activities.

“Why am I saying so? Because 275 parliamentarians have accepted and have given their approval to the anti-LGBT bill. It is supposed to be transmitted to the table of the president so that he will also accept it by signing the bill into law.

“But now it appears to me technicalities of law are being used now to derail or to delay the process. I am worried because I have been told that if the president fails to give his assent up to the end of the life of the tenure of the current parliament, what it means is that all the efforts that have been made will become futile and worthless and the whole process will have to be started again," he said.

He added, “That is what gives me some sense of trepidation and anxiety, worry and concern.”

The spokesperson also said that President Akufo-Addo would be disappointing the whole of Ghana if he fails to assent to the bill this year.

He, therefore, urged the president to muster the courage to approve the bill into law before leaving office.

“Because of that, I would want to call on the president to remain focused, to be courageous and append his signature in order to give assent to the bill to become law in our country. He has the only opportunity this year to be able to do that. If he fails to do so, he would have disappointed the whole of the nation, because 275 parliamentarians have all given their approval to the anti-gay bill,” he added.

Sheikh Shaibu made these remarks while praising the Flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and that of the opposition National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama, for stating that they are against LGBT+ activities.

He, however, noted that the leaders stating their positions is not enough; adding that they must put in the needed efforts to ensure that the anti-gay bill is approved into law.

Watch his remarks in the video below:

The spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has lauded Vice President and NPP presidential candidate, Dr. Bawumia, for rejecting LGBTQ+ in his Eid message to the Muslim community in Kumasi in the Ashanti region of Ghana, on Thursday, April 11, 2024. pic.twitter.com/uVC5VazpV4

— Rightify Ghana (@RightifyGhana) April 12, 2024