BY Issah Olegor
The University of Ghana has firmly rejected widespread claims alleging that the institution has revised its governing statutes to endorse or promote LGBTQ+ activities, describing the assertions as entirely fabricated and damaging to its reputation.
The controversy emerged after anti-LGBTQ+ campaigner Moses Foh-Amoaning, during a radio interview on Onua FM, accused the University of altering its statutes to accommodate LGBTQ+ interests—a claim that quickly circulated online and sparked public debate.
The university, in a strongly worded statement, clarified that its recent statutory review, completed in 2024, was purely procedural and carried out in accordance with national laws and established governance protocols.
The University management stressed that the revised statutes contain no provisions that depart from Ghanaian law nor any that implicitly or explicitly support LGBTQ+ activity.
Instead, officials explained that the changes were technical linguistic updates aimed at modernising the text and promoting inclusivity by replacing gendered pronouns such as “he,” “him,” “she,” and “her” with gender-neutral terms like “they” and “their.”
The institution noted that the use of singular they/them is not a reflection of any LGBTQ+ agenda but a widely accepted grammatical convention that has gained prominence in academic, legal, and religious publications over the last two decades.
To demonstrate this, the university referenced the 2011 New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, which uses singular they/them in several passages, including James 4:17.
An excerpt from the revised statute was also provided to show that the changes were minimal and did not affect the intent or meaning of the provisions.
This is not the first time the university has provided clarification on the matter.
The Management disclosed that it had already responded to inquiries from the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values in a November 10 letter, explaining the nature of the pronoun adjustments.
The university expressed disappointment that, despite these clarifications, the issue had been reignited through misinformation and personal attacks.
The statement condemned what it described as an “unwarranted and disrespectful” attempt by Foh-Amoaning to personalise an institutional governance issue by targeting the vice-chancellor.
The Management reminded the public that no vice-chancellor has the unilateral power to amend the university’s statutes, and noted that the current vice-chancellor’s tenure has been defined by academic excellence, transparency, and integrity.
The university maintained that any attempts to tarnish her reputation based on unfounded claims would not be tolerated.
Asserting its right to protect its institutional image, the University of Ghana demanded that Foh-Amoaning issue an immediate retraction and a public apology to both the vice-chancellor and the university community. Failure to do so, the statement warned, would compel the university to pursue legal action under Ghanaian law.
The university also called for responsible reporting from media organisations, including GhanaWeb and Onua FM, urging them to verify sensitive institutional matters with its Public Affairs Directorate before publication.
The Management cautioned that the circulation of unverified claims undermines public trust and erodes confidence in national educational institutions.
