The president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Matthew K. Gyamfi, has criticised President John Mahama over recent comments suggesting that the LGBTQ bill is not a priority.
Speaking on PM Express on Joy News Tuesday, he insisted the President campaigned on the issue and cannot now downplay it.
Bishop Gyamfi acknowledged that the President is right to focus on pressing economic and social challenges, but warned that the LGBTQ bill cannot be sidelined.
“He’s not wrong in pursuing his matters, because Ghanaians need jobs. They need help. They need other things. So these are important, and they should be a priority for the President,” he said.
He, however, insisted the bill remains equally important.
“And equally important and no less important is this law, this bill that Ghanaians have placed before Parliament, and we realise pursuing jobs, getting help for people, is not exclusive and cannot exclude, and should not exclude looking at proper family values and sexuality, the one does not throw away the other one.”
Bishop Gyamfi argued that prioritising economic issues does not conflict with passing the bill.
“We do not see how pursuing jobs, creating health and other things, how passing family values law will affect negatively, adversely passing this law, so for him to say it is not a priority for us is a very dangerous statement.”
When pressed on why he considers the statement dangerous, he said it signals a lack of seriousness on the President’s part.
“What makes it dangerous is he’s telling us indirectly that for him, this bill that Ghanaians, represented by a group of people, have placed before Parliament is not something that he’s considering seriously. The law is not important to him.”
His comments come amid growing debate following the presidency’s indication that the LGBTQ issue is not currently a priority for the government, despite earlier assurances that the President would assent to the bill if passed by Parliament.
Bishop Gyamfi said this shift raises concerns about consistency.
“Yes, we believe it is a contradiction, because nobody compelled the President to say these things now for him to come out to say it.”
He stressed that the President had previously attached significant importance to the matter.
“Of course, there are many things that are not a priority of the government, but this one, he cannot say that it is not among the priorities, because he has campaigned and has said it is very, very important to him, and then he will sign.”
According to him, expectations were high that the President would actively support the bill.
“So Ghanaians expected him to even promote it, even to suggest it to Parliament.”
He warned that the latest comments risk undermining public confidence.
“But for him in goodwill, without anybody compelling him, asking him to go out to say it is not a priority. Now, that presupposes a lot of things, and it’s a contradiction of his former position on this issue, and that is a matter of great concern to Ghanaians.”
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