The spokesperson for Ghana’s National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has publicly challenged President John Dramani Mahama to treat the passage of the anti-LGBTQI bill as a matter of urgency, pushing back against the President’s recent statement that the issue is not the country’s most pressing priority.
Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show on Thursday, April 2, 2026, Sheikh Shaibu expressed concern over President Mahama’s recent remarks that the issue of LGBTQI is not the most important issue facing the nation, arguing that broader societal consequences must be considered when such issues are discussed.
The sheikh reminded the President that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had campaigned on a firm commitment to expedite passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill and sign it into law, and that many Ghanaians cast their votes on the basis of that promise. He said that commitment made the President’s current position deeply troubling to many who supported the NDC.
Sheikh Shaibu stressed that the family is the foundation of society and must be protected. “The family is society in microcosm,” he said. “If you want to destroy any society, begin by destroying the family.”
He made clear that the position he was expressing reflected that of the National Chief Imam, who remains firmly opposed to LGBTQI practices and wants the President to demonstrate the courage he showed on the campaign trail.
The intervention comes amid a broader national debate that has intensified since the bill was revived in Parliament. Parliament formally received the reintroduced bill on February 17, 2026, after the Speaker directed the Business Committee to schedule it for consideration, following a Financial Impact Analysis that concluded the proposed legislation does not impose any financial burden on the Consolidated Fund.
The Christian Council of Ghana has also weighed in, stating that President Mahama has assured it of his commitment to signing the bill into law once it is officially passed by Parliament.
President Mahama has previously said he supports the principle of the legislation but has expressed a preference for it to be introduced as a government bill rather than as a private member’s bill, a distinction critics argue is being used to delay action on a matter he pledged to prioritise.
