President John Mahama has called on international partners to respect Ghana’s position on LGBTQ issues, stating that public policy in the country is shaped by its legal traditions, cultural values, and societal consensus.
The President made the remarks while responding to a question during a ceremony in the United States, where he was honoured with an international award.
His comments come amid renewed global attention on Ghana’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
Addressing the issue, President Mahama noted that debates around LGBTQ rights remain complex and unresolved, not only in Ghana but across the world, including in the United States, where differing legal positions still exist.
“The issue of LGBTQ rights is a motive, and they are not completely settled in terms of their nuances and arguments, not only in Ghana but all over the world.
“Even in the United States, you still have discourse on LGBTQ rights. There are still 26 states in America that have legislation that restricts LGBTQ rights,” he said.
The President clarified that the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill currently before Parliament is not a government-sponsored legislation but a private members’ bill, and therefore remains under the control of the legislature.
According to him, Ghana’s democratic institutions are actively engaged in reviewing the matter, with memoranda being received from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including civil society organisations.
He expressed confidence that the final outcome would reflect the will of the Ghanaian people.
“I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. And so the representatives of the people will discuss the bill, and once they pass it, then it comes up to the presidency. And the Constitution gives various pathways for dealing with it.
“If I object to the bill, I can send it back to Parliament. If there are issues that need to be dealt with, we have the Council of State, which is a superior body. I can refer to the Council of State for advice,” he explained.
President Mahama stressed that Ghana’s approach to the issue must be understood within its unique national context.
“I believe that our international partners should understand that public policy is grounded in our legal traditions, in our cultural context, and in our social consensus, and all those issues are playing out as we speak,” he added.
His comments follow reports that Lincoln University withdrew plans to confer an honorary doctorate on him, citing concerns over his perceived stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
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