The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has challenged Ghana’s religious leaders to critically examine recent amendments made to the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025, arguing that the changes undermine key provisions intended to prohibit the promotion and advocacy of LGBTQ activities in the country.
In a strongly worded statement shared on Facebook, the legislator called on the leadership of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches, the Office of the National Chief Imam, and traditional religious leaders to thoroughly scrutinise the amendments before any presidential assent is granted.
“This is not the time for silence,” he said, urging faith-based organisations and clergy who supported the legislation to publicly assess whether the amended Bill remains faithful to its original purpose.
The lawmaker accused the Majority in Parliament of introducing amendments to Clause 9 of the Bill that create exemptions absent from the original version passed by Parliament.
According to Assafuah, the initial Bill contained explicit provisions criminalising the promotion, support, advocacy, dissemination and facilitation of acts prohibited under the legislation, with offenders facing prison terms ranging from five to ten years.
He explained that the original Clause 9 prohibited the production, publication, dissemination and distribution of materials intended to promote acts outlawed under the legislation.
The clause also criminalised attempts to influence public opinion in favour of such acts, as well as the provision of assistance or resources to support them.
However, the Old Tafo MP contends that the revised version of the Bill introduces exemptions under Clause 9(2), fundamentally altering the original intent of the legislation.
“The Ghanaian people must not be deceived,” Assafuah stated, insisting that the Bill cannot be described as stronger when exemptions have been inserted into what he considers its central enforcement provision.
He questioned why the exemptions were not included in the original Bill and challenged proponents of the amendments to explain how the new provisions would strengthen the legislation.
“The fundamental question remains unanswered: Has Clause 9 been strengthened, or have loopholes been smuggled into the very provision Parliament designed to prohibit propaganda, promotion and advocacy for prohibited acts?” he asked.
Mr Assafuah maintained that the original Bill recognised that movements and campaigns grow through promotion, organisation, financing and deliberate efforts to shape public opinion, making strict restrictions on advocacy and promotion necessary to achieve the Bill’s objectives.
Assafuah stressed that the matter extends beyond partisan politics and touches on legislative integrity and Parliament’s commitment to the objectives for which the Bill was first introduced.
