Damongo MP and former Minister of Lands and Pure Assets, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has stepped up his requires President John Dramani Mahama to accede to the unique anti-LGBTQ invoice handed by parliament in 2024, arguing that latest amendments launched by the present parliament have considerably weakened the invoice.
Amid renewed nationwide debate over the Human Rights and Household Values Invoice, Mr Jinapor claimed that the ruling Nationwide Democratic Congress (NDC) had deviated from its earlier promise to help the invoice within the type it was initially permitted within the eighth Parliament.
He mentioned Congress handed an anti-LGBTQ invoice in 2024, however couldn’t get the president’s assent as a result of a authorized problem pending earlier than the Supreme Courtroom.
He claims that the NDC had publicly indicated that it was able to help and signal the invoice if elected to authorities.
Nevertheless, Ginapol argues that the ruling majority selected to not protect the unique textual content after the invoice was reintroduced in 2025.
As an alternative, Congress permitted 31 amendments earlier than passing the revised invoice on Could 29, 2026, he mentioned.
“The amendments have considerably modified the character of the invoice and diminished its effectiveness,” he mentioned, including that “what has emerged is considerably totally different from the invoice handed in 2024.”
The central considerations raised by Rep. Damongo relate to modifications to the rules governing the promotion and advocacy of LGBTQ actions.
He argues that the revised model offers exemptions for a variety of entities, together with authorities companies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), improvement companions, educational establishments, and different organizations concerned in health-related packages.
These exemptions may create an avenue for LGBTQ advocacy and associated work to proceed below the umbrella of public well being initiatives, Ginapol mentioned.
He additional criticized the introduction of a clause stating that nothing within the Act shall impede or prohibit the lawful duties or features of any establishment.
In his view, this provision may present authorized safety to organizations whose actions might fall inside the scope of the legislation.
“These amendments undermine the core goal of the invoice, which is to ban LGBTQ activism, advocacy, and the promotion of what many Ghanaians take into account conventional household values,” he argued.
Jinapor additionally referred to previous statements allegedly made by Majority Chief Mahama Ayariga throughout parliamentary proceedings, which he argued mirrored a extra versatile strategy to features of LGBTQ-related advocacy.
He argued that these developments have heightened considerations that the amended invoice now not displays the intent of the unique invoice.
Damongo maintains that essentially the most acceptable plan of action is for the federal government to cross the unique 2024 invoice with out modification and facilitate presidential assent.
“The federal government ought to both conform to the 2024 invoice that has been handed, or reintroduce the identical invoice as is and cross it with the president’s assent,” he mentioned. “It is that straightforward.”
Anti-LGBTQ laws stays some of the controversial points in Ghana’s political and social debates, attracting robust opinions from spiritual teams, conventional leaders, civil society organizations, human rights activists, and worldwide actors.
Supporters say the invoice protects Ghana’s cultural and household values, whereas critics say it raises critical constitutional and human rights considerations.
President Mahama has solely lately identified the numerous quantity of labor that must be cleared to convey the invoice to finality, together with the necessity for additional consultations and the potential for referring the invoice to the Counselor of State for recommendation till it may be assented.
