Minority won’t allow anti-LGBTQ bill to be diluted – Patricia Appiagyei

The Minority Caucus says it will resist any attempt to water down or quietly shelve the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill in Parliament.

Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, made the remarks at a news conference in Parliament on Friday while outlining the caucus’ concerns over the handling of key legislative matters.

“The LGBTQ bill, despite strong public bipartisan support and the NDC’s own campaign commitment, was not brought to a formal vote in 2025,” Madam Appiagyei said.

“The Minority finds this delay deeply troubling and will remain vigilant to ensure that the bill is not quietly diluted and shelved.”

The anti-LGBTQ bill has remained one of the most debated pieces of legislation in the country, drawing strong opinions from political leaders, religious groups and civil society organisations.

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has publicly pledged to see the bill passed, insisting Parliament must reflect the values and cultural convictions of Ghanaians.

However, Government Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has indicated that the proposed legislation is not a major priority for the government at the moment, a position that has generated criticism from some supporters of the bill.

One of the strongest advocates of the legislation, Sam George, has also repeatedly pledged to push for the bill to become law.

At the same news conference, Madam Appiagyei accused the Majority Caucus of abusing Parliament’s certificate of urgency procedure to fast-track legislation.

“The Minority Caucus raises the following concerns: Approximately 33 bills were fast-tracked under certificate of urgency, a mechanism traditionally reserved for genuine national emergencies,” she stated.

“The Minority considers this as an abuse of the democratic process and a violation of the spirit of Parliamentary deliberations.”

She further criticised what she described as the Majority’s authoritarian approach to parliamentary business.

“The Majority governance style has been authoritarian,” the Asokwa MP added.