Accra: The New Patriotic Party's Minority Caucus in Parliament has launched a scathing attack on the ruling National Democratic Congress, accusing them of rewriting the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation they had previously committed to passing without amendments.
According to Ghana Web, the NPP issued a strongly worded statement, signed by Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, criticizing the NDC for the 31 amendments made to the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. The NPP claims this is a significant deviation from the NDC's earlier stance when they were in opposition.
The original Bill, which was unanimously passed by the 8th Parliament in 2024, saw the NDC playing a crucial role in its defense. During that time, the NDC was vocal against any attempts to alter the Bill, leveraging it as a key issue during the 2024 elections by criticizing the NPP for being lenient on LGBTQ+ matters.
The NPP now views the amendments as a significant contradiction to the NDC's past actions. They argue that the changes fundamentally alter aspects of the Bill that NDC members previously opposed amending. The NPP highlights the irony of the NDC's current position, stating it contradicts their past demands for the Bill's immediate presidential assent.
The NPP contends that this issue goes beyond legislative differences, accusing the NDC of political insincerity. They argue that voters who supported the NDC for their anti-LGBTQ+ stance are now witnessing a backtrack on those commitments through parliamentary amendments.
The Minority Caucus is advocating for the restoration of the 2024 Bill to its original form and urging President John Dramani Mahama to give assent, emphasizing that this reflects the will of the majority of Ghanaians.