Rev. John Ntim Fordjour
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused President John Mahama of hypocrisy and political deceit over the government’s handling of LGBTQ-related legislation.
The party has therefore urged the government to realign its priorities with the views of the majority of Ghanaians by fulfilling its promise to introduce a government-sponsored bill to comprehensively address LGBTQ-related issues.
Addressing the media at the party’s headquarters in Accra yesterday, Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government had shifted its stance on the proposed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill after campaigning strongly in its favour while in opposition.
“This is a matter that exposes the highest order of political deceit, hypocrisy, and double standards by President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC,” he asserted.
According to him, the NDC previously used the bill as a political tool to gain support from religious leaders, traditional authorities, and the general public.
“For years, the NDC weaponised the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill to deceive eminent clergy, our revered traditional leaders, and the good people of Ghana,” he stated.
He noted that during the bill’s introduction in 2021, it received bipartisan support, including sponsorship from both NPP and NDC lawmakers.
This, he explained, was done out of deep conviction, recognising that the bill reflects the desires, culture, and religious beliefs of the majority of Ghanaians.
Rev. Fordjour also stated that during the 2024 electioneering campaign, President Mahama, then the NDC’s candidate, pledged to sign the bill into law and criticised former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for delaying assent.
“President Mahama presented himself as the ultimate defender of Ghanaian family values,” Rev. Fordjour added.
He, however, said the NDC’s position changed after assuming office in 2025, citing meetings between President Mahama and religious leaders, where he suggested introducing a government-sponsored bill instead of the earlier private member’s bill.
Rev. Fordjour also referenced engagements by President Mahama, including a meeting with the Christian Council, where he reaffirmed his opposition to same-sex marriage.
“He told religious leaders, ‘Marriage is between a man and a woman. A person’s gender is determined at birth. The family is the foundation of our nation,’” he said.
Despite these assurances, the NPP MP claimed the government has not made the bill a priority, pointing to remarks made by President Mahama on March 31, 2026, during a meeting with civil society organisations, where he reportedly said his administration was focused on “basic needs” and that the bill was no longer a priority.
“We must ask: were these basic needs not present between 2021 and 2024 when the NDC used this issue to campaign? To advocate so aggressively in opposition and then dismiss it in government is the height of hypocrisy,” he intimated.
Quoting a statement attributed to the African Human Rights Coalition, Rev. Fordjour noted, “President Mahama has presented two faces to the world: one for Ghanaian voters and another for international audiences.”
Rev. Fordjour further claimed that materials approved by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) included definitions of gender that go beyond the traditional binary framework.
“Instead of protecting Ghanaian family values, the government is exposing students to concepts it previously opposed,” he added, noting that the administration’s explanation of the content as a “mistake” was insufficient.
The party also urged the NDC to apologise to religious and traditional leaders for what it described as “double standards and contradictory actions.”
He stated, “The NPP calls on Parliament, led by the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga and Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to ensure the swift passage of the reintroduced bill.”
He said the NPP remains committed to the principles and values that bind the country and will continue to hold the government accountable, to ensure that the will of Ghanaians is not sacrificed for political convenience.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah