The Minority has sharply criticised the newly passed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, arguing that extensive amendments have significantly weakened the legislation compared to the version approved in 2024.
At a press conference in Parliament, Minority members accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of altering key provisions of the bill before securing its passage last week.
According to the group, the revised legislation contains multiple deletions, insertions and redrafted sections, making it materially different from the original bill that had earlier been presented for presidential assent.
A co-sponsor of the bill, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, described the current version as “a pale shadow” of the original, claiming that its deterrent effect has been diluted.
“All that was needed was presidential assent,” he said, recalling earlier calls by the NDC for the bill to be signed into law without changes.
He argued that although President John Dramani Mahama had campaigned on a promise to assent to the bill, the final version was amended before approval.
“It had to be amended, provisions had to be deleted and redrafted, and 31 insertions were made before assent,” he said.
Fordjour questioned whether the changes aligned with commitments made to voters during the election campaign.
“The promise was clear: vote for me, and I will sign the bill. They did not say it would be amended or redrafted,” he added, describing the process as a “breach of trust”.
The Minority further contended that the revised law lacks the enforcement strength envisioned in the earlier version.
“They have changed it extensively… what we have today is materially different from what was passed in 2024,” he said, noting that the bill had undergone more than 20 deletions alongside dozens of insertions.
Despite the criticism, the Minority reaffirmed its support for the bill in principle, insisting its concerns relate to the weakening of its original objectives.
“We are not against the bill or Parliament’s authority to legislate,” Fordjour said. “Our concern is that it has lost its force, bite and deterrent effect.”
The group is demanding an explanation from the government over what it describes as a significant shift in positio
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