Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has made it clear that he will not support LGBTQ activities in Ghana if he is elected president, regardless of any potential repercussions.
Bawumia emphasized that such activities contradict the nation’s fundamental values and therefore cannot be allowed. He cited religious and cultural beliefs, noting that both the Bible and the Quran, along with the convictions of the Ghanaian people, oppose LGBTQ practices. This, he said, forms the basis of his firm stance against introducing or promoting these activities in the country.
Speaking to the clergy in Cape Coast on Monday, June 3, 2024, during his tour of the Central Region, Bawumia asserted, “We will not agree. The Bible doesn’t tolerate it, the Quran doesn’t tolerate it, and our African values do not tolerate it. So it is a no, no, and no.”
The West disagrees with polygamy and we also disagree with LGBTQ+. We will never allow it… – Dr. Bawumia (NPP Flagbearer) #StarrNews #StarrFM #NPP #NDC #Election2024 #ElectionHub pic.twitter.com/oIa7ZLXqme
— Starr 103.5 FM (@starr1035fm) June 5, 2024
He further argued that just as polygamy is not allowed in certain jurisdictions, same-sex marriages would not be legalized under his administration.
In August 2021, a bill was introduced in parliament to impose stricter regulations on LGBTQ+ rights. This bill, known as “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021,” aims to criminalize the defense of LGBTQ+ rights, mandate the reporting of “suspects,” promote conversion therapy, and impose harsher penalties for homosexuality.
The introduction of this bill sparked significant public debate about its appropriateness. Despite the controversy, the bill has been passed by parliament and is awaiting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s signature to become law.
