'NDC cannot be trusted on anti-LGBTQ+ bill' - Minority claims

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of abandoning its previous position on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

According to a statement signed by Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin on June 4, 2026, the NDC strongly campaigned in support of the bill while in opposition, but has taken a different position since assuming office.

The Minority reiterated the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) opposition to the promotion and normalisation of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.

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“The NPP unequivocally rejects the normalisation, promotion, or protection of LGBTQ+ values and practices within Ghanaian society,” portions of the statement said.

The caucus noted that the bill passed by the 8th Parliament in 2024 reflected the cultural, religious, and moral values of the majority of Ghanaians and was approved unanimously after extensive debate.

According to the Minority, the NDC opposed attempts to amend the bill when it was before Parliament in 2024 and criticised the then-government over delays in securing presidential assent.

“Notably, it was the NDC, then in opposition, that resisted any attempts to amend any of its provisions,” the statement noted.

The caucus also pointed to the role played by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, in the passage of the original bill.

“It was Rt. Hon. Alban S.K. Bagbin, serving as Speaker of the 8th Parliament, who led the charge for the passage of the Bill without compromise or dilution,” the statement added.

The Minority further accused the NDC of using the bill as a political campaign tool against the NPP ahead of the 2024 general election.

“The NDC disregarded all that, falsely portrayed the NPP as supportive of LGBTQ+ interests, mobilised religious leaders, and urged Ghanaians to vote against the NPP,” the statement said.

The caucus argued that Ghanaians have a right to expect the administration of President John Dramani Mahama to honour commitments made regarding the bill before the elections.

According to the Minority, the reintroduced bill has undergone 31 amendments, a move it says fundamentally alters the legislation that the NDC previously supported.

“The NPP holds that this heavily amended Bill represents a clear departure from the NDC's 2024 position and a fundamental breach of faith with the Ghanaian people,” the statement said.

The caucus described the development as contradictory and questioned the NDC's consistency on the issue.

“It is, therefore, both strange and hypocritical for the NDC to have demanded immediate presidential assent to the 2024 Bill, only to return to Parliament and substantially rewrite that same Bill upon assuming office,” the statement added.

The Minority also highlighted disagreements among key government officials following the passage of the amended bill.

It cited comments by President Mahama suggesting Parliament may not have had the required quorum, the Speaker's call for the bill to return to the Consideration Stage, and the Majority Leader's differing position.

“The NPP believes these contradictions reflect an attempt to frustrate the Bill's enactment while managing the political consequences of abandoning a position that the NDC once vigorously championed,” the caucus stated.

The Minority further referenced comments made by President Mahama during a recent engagement at Chatham House in London.

“We have further been reliably informed that certain assurances were given by the President to the British Prime Minister at No. 10 Downing Street that the Bill remains far from becoming law,” the statement claimed.

The caucus concluded that the key issue is no longer whether Ghanaians support the bill but whether the NDC can be trusted to uphold the position it previously defended.

“The issue before the country has never been whether or not Ghanaians support the values embodied in the 2024 Bill. That is not in doubt. The real issue is whether the NDC can be trusted,” the statement said.

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The Minority maintained that the original bill passed by the 8th Parliament in 2024 should be retained and sent to the President for assent.

“The Minority Caucus holds that the Bill passed in 2024 by the 8th Parliament, which President John Dramani Mahama pledged to assent to, must be passed in its original form and transmitted for presidential assent,” the statement concluded.



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