The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama has assured him of his readiness to assent to the controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill once it is passed by Parliament.
According to the Speaker, the President has previously indicated his willingness to give his approval to the legislation, urging the public to disregard contrary claims circulating in the media and public discourse.
Speaking at a ceremony on April 11, Bagbin stated, “…the President assured me that when we pass the bill and it comes to him, he has stated it before, he was going to assent to it. So please, leave the rumour mongers.”
He explained that the bill was initiated and championed by Members of Parliament who strongly believe in its provisions, adding that the legislative process had already seen significant progress.
“Members of Parliament, who believe in it, decided to promote it in Parliament. And you know the things I said before. I’m not a man of words, I’m a man of action. That is how we got it passed in Parliament. But for some reason, the President did not assent to it. I’m sure one of the reasons why we punished him and his party is this one,” he said.
Bagbin further assured that the bill would be reconsidered and passed when Parliament reconvenes, expressing confidence in its eventual passage into law.
“We started and we processed it. It has gone through all the stages and the next meeting of Parliament we will pass that bill into law. So don’t listen to people who don’t know what is in Parliament. Please, I repeat, don’t listen to people who don’t know what is in Parliament,” he emphasized.
The Speaker also reiterated his stance that LGBTQ+ practices are inconsistent with Ghanaian cultural values, stressing the need to uphold the country’s traditions.
“They can play that kind of bad politics. That is not what we are here for. We are different from those practicing it. Our cultures and values and principles are different. They know the effect and what it is doing to them. We resist it today, we will not be colonized again. That is gone. It’s history,” he stressed.
