Story by Eugene Nyarko Jnr. | NPP Headquarters, Accra | April 7, 2026
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused President John Dramani Mahama and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of exhibiting “double standards, hypocrisy, and political deceit” in their handling of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the anti-LGBTQI+ bill.
Addressing a press conference at the NPP Headquarters in Asylum Down on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, alleged that the NDC deliberately used the bill as a political tool while in opposition, only to abandon its urgency after assuming power in 2025.
According to him, the NDC had strongly backed the bill when it was introduced in 2021, with several of its Members of Parliament serving as co-sponsors. He noted that during the 2024 election campaign, then-presidential candidate John Mahama publicly pledged to assent to the bill, portraying himself as a firm defender of Ghanaian cultural and family values.
Rev. Fordjour, however, claimed that the NDC’s position shifted significantly after taking office. He said the government moved from what he described as “aggressive advocacy” to a more cautious and procedural approach, citing concerns about constitutional processes and potential economic implications, including international financial support.
He further alleged that President Mahama has, in recent times, deprioritized the bill, focusing instead on what he termed “basic needs,” a stance the NPP insists contradicts earlier commitments made to Ghanaians.
The Assin South MP also accused the President of presenting conflicting positions on the matter to different audiences, stating that while assurances are given locally in support of the bill, a more reserved tone is adopted during international engagements.
On education, Rev. Fordjour raised concerns about what he described as the introduction of LGBTQI+ concepts into school materials. He referenced a controversy involving the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), which acknowledged the presence of disputed content in a Senior High School teacher’s manual but later described it as an error.
The NPP maintains that the incident contradicts earlier assurances by the President that Ghanaian family values would be reinforced through the educational curriculum.
As part of its demands, the party called on President Mahama to realign his priorities and fulfill his campaign promise by introducing a government-sponsored version of the bill. It also urged the NDC to apologise to religious leaders, traditional authorities, and civil society groups for what it described as inconsistencies in its position.
Additionally, the NPP appealed to Parliament’s leadership to expedite the passage of the bill, stressing that Ghanaians expect swift legislative action.
Rev. Fordjour concluded by reaffirming the NPP’s commitment to upholding what he described as the country’s cultural and moral values, pledging that the party would continue to hold the government accountable.
