Minority warns against alleged LGBTQ provisions in constitutional review

The Minority in the Parliament of Ghana has expressed serious concerns over what it describes as attempts to introduce LGBTQ-related concepts into Ghana’s Constitution through the ongoing constitutional review process. Speaking on behalf of the Minority at the New Patriotic Party headquarters, the Member of Parliament for Assin South and sponsor of the anti-LGBT bill, John Ntim Fordjour, cited specific recommendations in the Constitutional Review Committee’s report as cause for alarm.

“These recommendations, if adopted, could open the door for the recognition of LGBTQ concepts within our constitutional framework,” he warned, specifically referencing pages 107 and 108 of the report. According to Mr. Fordjour, such proposals could significantly influence Ghana’s moral and cultural fabric.

“This is not just a legal matter; it is an issue that goes to the heart of our values as a nation. Embedding such provisions in the Constitution will have far-reaching consequences for our moral and cultural identity,” he said.

The Minority further urged President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to formally apologise to religious and traditional leaders, citing what they describe as a failure to prioritise the anti-LGBT bill. Mr. Fordjour explained that churches, Muslim clerics, and traditional authorities were assured that the legislation would be fast-tracked if the NDC assumed power, but recent developments appear to contradict those promises.

“We were made to understand that this bill would be treated as a priority if they came into office. What we are seeing now is a clear shift, and it amounts to a betrayal of the trust reposed in them by religious and traditional leaders,” he stated.

He called on the President to realign government priorities with what he describes as the views of the majority of Ghanaians, citing survey findings indicating strong opposition to LGBTQ-related practices in the country.

Rev. Fordjour reiterated that the government is expected to honour earlier commitments to introduce a government-sponsored bill addressing LGBTQ issues. “Ghana’s basic needs have not changed since 2024, and ladies and gentlemen of the press, you will agree with us on that. The President is therefore expected to fulfill his promise to introduce his government-sponsored bill, which he promised the clergy and religious leaders to comprehensively address the LGBTQ issues. He made those promises willingly, he must be held to account and be made to fulfill his promise,” he added.

The Minority’s position underscores the contentious nature of the constitutional review process in Ghana, with debates intensifying over balancing evolving human rights discussions with prevailing social, cultural, and religious norms.