Accra: The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has disclosed details of a private conversation with President John Dramani Mahama concerning the passage of the contentious anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently being debated in parliament. Bagbin shared that the president assured him of his commitment to sign the bill into law once it is passed by the House.
According to Ghana Web, Bagbin made this revelation during an event, with snippets shared by JoyNews on social media. He quoted President Mahama as saying, "His Excellency the President assured me that when we pass the bill and it comes to me, he has stated it before, he was going to ascend it. So, please, leave the rumor mongers," highlighting the president's support for the bill.
Bagbin reiterated his dedication to the bill, emphasizing his role in advocating for its passage through Parliament. He noted that a group of Members of Parliament who support the bill have been actively promoting it. Bagbin stated, "I'm not a man of words; I'm a man of action, and that is how we got it passed in Parliament, but for some reason, the [former] president did not assent to it."
He further noted that the bill has already undergone the necessary parliamentary processes, expressing confidence that it will be passed once the House reconvenes. Bagbin suggested that the delay in the bill's passage might have influenced the political fortunes of Mahama and his party.
Bagbin also urged the public to ignore misinformation about parliamentary proceedings, cautioning against speculation. "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 advised.
In his concluding remarks, Bagbin defended Ghana's cultural values and rejected external influences on the issue, stating, "We resist it today; we will not be colonised again. That is gone, it's history."