Jobs remain Mahama’s focus, not LGBTQ debate – Kwakye Ofosu to Minority

Felix Kwakye Ofosu says President Mahama is prioritising jobs and welfare over the anti-LGBTQ bill, despite pressure from the Minority.

The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications responded to calls from the Minority in Parliament, led by John Ntim Fordjour, demanding that President John Dramani Mahama apologise over perceived delays in handling the anti-LGBTQ bill. The legislator, a sponsor of the bill, has expressed concern that the government has shifted its stance since assuming office.

“What is there to apologise for?” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu asked in an interview on JoyNews on Tuesday. “Are you telling me that what matters most to the public is the LGBTQ issue and not their welfare? Is that what the NPP is pushing?”

He argued that the government remains focused on broader national priorities, including job creation, stabilising the economy, and improving living standards, rather than elevating the anti-LGBTQ legislation above immediate socio-economic concerns.

“So the President should go and apologise for making the welfare of Ghanaians his priority? Is that what they are calling you for? Where is the logic in this?” he added, emphasising that pressing socio-economic challenges must guide national debate.

The Minister also questioned the timing and consistency of the Minority’s push for the bill, noting that it had not been advanced with the same urgency when they were previously in power.

“Indeed, if it were a priority for them (NPP), why did they not sign it when they were in power? When did it become a priority for them? Only when they left power?” he asked, highlighting what he described as opportunistic advocacy.

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu reiterated that President Mahama’s administration is committed to addressing the urgent needs of Ghanaians — jobs, healthcare, education, and social welfare — and that these priorities outweigh legislative debates on issues that do not directly affect the majority of citizens.

The Minority in Parliament has repeatedly advocated for the anti-LGBTQ bill, citing moral and cultural concerns. The governing National Democratic Congress has maintained that broader socio-economic issues remain the immediate focus of governance, while emphasizing that any legislative changes must follow democratic processes and constitutional safeguards.