The Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has taken a swipe at members of the Minority Caucus over their commentary on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-gay bill.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament after the bill was passed on Friday, May 29, 2026, Ayariga asserted that the Minority is claiming that the bill passed is a “watered-down” version of the one passed in 2024, only to exonerate former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who refused to act on it.

He added that his party and government have done no wrong in the passage of the bill, as claimed by proponents of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), including the party’s Members of Parliament.

“How does the NDC government come into this, because in the first place, this is a private member's bill. The government has no interest in it. We, as Members of Parliament, are working on the bill because you, our colleagues, have sponsored a bill that we are working on.

“So, on what basis are you accusing the NDC government? Except that you are just seeking to equalise, because Akufo-Addo refused to sign the bill that you presented. That's all that you are seeking to do,” he fumed.

He added, “You believe that in saying all the things that you are saying, doing all the things that you are doing, you will redeem Akufo-Addo. You cannot redeem Akufo-Addo in this matter. President Akufo-Addo is irredeemable in this matter.

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Mahama Ayariga also refuted the assertion that the anti-gay bill passed in 2024 was a creation of his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He indicated that the NPP was the majority in Parliament then and passed the bill in the state they wanted before it was sent to then-President Akufo-Addo.

“Speaker, take note of his expressions. He says that ‘the bill that you presented to Akufo-Addo to sign’. Is it we who presented it to Akufo-Addo to sign? You brought the bill to this House, the bill was passed for you the way you wanted, and then you are now accusing us of being the ones who presented the bill to Akufo-Addo to sign,” he noted.

Watch a video of his remarks below:

The LGBTQ bill is a Private Member’s Bill, and government has no direct interest in it. pic.twitter.com/gEFecA6vHj

— 𝑳𝑶𝑵𝑮 𝑳𝒀𝑭 (@LongLyf2) May 30, 2026