By Daniel Bampoe
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus in Parliament has launched a strong attack on the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing the party of abandoning its previously held position on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, after assuming office.
In a statement issued on June 4, 2026, and signed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority insisted that the NPP’s position on the controversial legislation remains unchanged.
According to the caucus, the party continues to oppose what it described as the normalization, promotion, and protection of LGBTQ+ values and practices in Ghana, arguing that its stance reflects the views of the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians.
The statement comes amid heightened political controversy following the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, by Parliament on May 29, 2026.
The legislation, however, has become the subject of intense debate after Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin called on Parliament to reconsider aspects of the bill’s passage due to concerns over procedural compliance and bipartisan consensus.
The Minority recalled that in February 2024, the Eighth Parliament unanimously passed the original Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill after extensive debate and consultations.
According to the NPP, both sides of Parliament supported the legislation because they believed it reflected the cultural, religious, and moral values.
The caucus further noted that at the time, members of the NDC strongly resisted any attempts to amend the bill and publicly criticized delays in securing presidential assent.
The statement specifically referenced the role played by Speaker Alban Bagbin during the Eighth Parliament, noting that he was among the strongest advocates for the bill’s passage without compromise.
The Minority argued that the NDC consistently dismissed concerns regarding the constitutionality of the legislation and accused the then Akufo-Addo administration of frustrating efforts to make the bill law.
According to the NPP, the NDC used the issue extensively during the 2024 election campaign, portraying the party as the only political force capable of ensuring that the bill became law.
The Minority claimed that religious leaders were mobilized and Ghanaians were encouraged to vote against the NPP on grounds that the Akufo-Addo administration had failed to secure presidential assent for the legislation.
The caucus argued that having won political power partly on that position, President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC government now have a responsibility to fulfill the commitments they made to religious groups and the Ghanaian public regarding the legislation.
However, the Minority contends that the NDC’s current actions contradict its earlier position.
The statement pointed to the 31 amendments introduced into the reintroduced Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, arguing that the changes substantially altered provisions that the NDC had previously defended without reservation while in opposition.
According to the NPP, these amendments amount to a significant departure from the original legislation passed by the Eighth Parliament and represent a breach of trust with Ghanaians who supported the bill in its earlier form.
The caucus described the development as “strange and hypocritical,” arguing that the same party that demanded immediate presidential assent in 2024 has now substantially rewritten the legislation after assuming office.
The statement further criticized what it described as conflicting positions within the ruling party.
The Minority noted that President Mahama recently raised concerns about whether Parliament had the required quorum during the bill’s passage, while Speaker Bagbin has called for the legislation to be reconsidered.
At the same time, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has publicly maintained that the bill was lawfully passed and cannot be reversed.
The NPP argued that these differing positions reveal attempts by the government to delay or frustrate the bill while attempting to manage the political fallout associated with abandoning a position it vigorously championed while in opposition.
The Minority also cited remarks made by President Mahama during a recent engagement at Chatham House in London, where he indicated that the bill still faces several legal and constitutional hurdles before becoming law.
The caucus claimed that information available to it suggests assurances may have been given to British officials that the legislation remains far from receiving presidential assent, a development the NPP says raises serious concerns about the government’s commitment to the bill.
According to the Minority, the central issue is no longer whether Ghanaians support the values embodied in the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation but whether the NDC can be trusted to uphold the commitments it made before assuming office.
The caucus concluded by demanding that the original 2024 version of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill be restored, passed in its original form, and transmitted to President Mahama for assent.
The NPP maintains that this reflects the aspirations of the majority of Ghanaians and the commitments made by the NDC while in opposition.
