A strong claim contained in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus’s June 4 statement has sparked political debate, suggesting that President John Dramani Mahama, during engagements in London this week, may have signalled to the British government that Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ Bill is not being treated as an immediate legislative priority.

The Minority argues that this position, if accurate, would contrast sharply with expectations built during the 2024 election campaign.

The statement referenced a public engagement at Chatham House, the London-based international affairs institute, where President Mahama reportedly suggested that his administration is not in a rush to have the Bill enacted.

More significantly, the Minority claims that “certain assurances” were given by the President to the British Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street indicating that the Bill remains far from becoming law.

“We have further been reliably informed that certain assurances were given by the President to the British Prime Minister at No. 10 Downing Street that the Bill remains far from becoming law,” the statement said. “If accurate, such assurances would represent a remarkable departure from the urgency with which the NDC pursued this matter while in opposition.”

The implications of the claim, if verified, would be far-reaching, suggesting that the President may have made private commitments to a foreign government on a sensitive domestic legislative issue without public disclosure.

The NPP, however, has not presented the allegation as confirmed fact, noting that it is based on “reliable information.” The Minority argues that the pattern of developments — including amendments, procedural disputes, and recent remarks in London — points to a broader shift in the government’s approach to the Bill.

The Minority is therefore calling on the Mahama administration to clarify its position: whether the President intends to assent to the Bill or not, and whether any assurances were indeed given to foreign governments regarding its fate.

The NPP insists the issue is not solely about LGBTQ+ legislation, but about transparency in governance and whether commitments made to the electorate are being honoured after assuming office.

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