Ahmed Ibrahim narrates how NPP MPs ‘absconded’ after promising to sponsor anti-gay bill

The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has accused New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament of being hypocritical in demanding that the anti-LGBT bill be passed under the John Dramani Mahama government.

Speaking during his turn on the Government Accountability Series on April 20, 2026, he said that NPP MPs who are now pontificating and demanding the passage of the bill folded their arms during the first attempt to get the bill passed under their government.

He claimed the four NPP MPs who joined four National Democratic Congress legislators to sponsor the first anti-gay bill went into hiding when the time came for it to be passed.

“We were four NPP, four NDC. By the time we got to the venue, three NPP MPs ran away. We needed to call three other NDC MPs to be added to the four NDC MPs to make seven. Reverend Ntim Fordjour was a reverend minister. He was one of the four, so he joined the seven NDC to pass it,” he said.

The minister indicated that after failing to get the bill passed under their government, the NPP MPs are now trying to create the impression that the Mahama administration does not want to pass the anti-gay bill into law to score political points, which he said would not work.

He assured that President Mahama would ensure that the bill is passed.

“Let nobody bring the president in… I went to the President on this, that's why I've not spoken. And I went to the Speaker on this, I know where we are. And the pastors come to me on this, I know where we are. When you are in the field, you act, you don't talk,” he said.

The local government minister went on to disclose that the Constitutional and Legal Committee of Parliament is meeting on the bill on April 23, 2026, to determine the way forward on its passage.

Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill: Minority demands urgent action from President Mahama

Watch a video of his remarks below:

BAI

2026 Ghana Beverages Awards hailed as biggest and best so far - Emma Wenani