President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew K. Gyamfi, has cautioned that recent comments from the presidency regarding the LGBTQ bill could slow parliamentary progress on the legislation.
Speaking on PM Express on Joy News, Bishop Gyamfi expressed concern that the President’s position that the bill is not a national priority may influence Parliament’s handling of the matter, despite the legislature’s formal independence.
His remarks come amid renewed debate after the presidency indicated that the LGBTQ issue is not currently a priority, even though there had previously been assurances that the bill would receive presidential assent if passed.
Drawing on past developments, Bishop Gyamfi referenced the tenure of former President Nana Akufo-Addo, noting that earlier public statements on the bill had been inconsistent. According to him, such mixed signals created uncertainty around the government’s position and contributed to the eventual failure of the bill to secure assent.
“You see, we have seen this before… the former president said openly that he was going to sign this bill,” he stated, adding that subsequent remarks appeared to recognise certain rights of LGBTQ individuals, thereby creating ambiguity.
He warned against a recurrence of a similar situation, stressing the need for clarity and consistency. “We do not want a repetition of that. When the President has said ‘I will sign’ and now says it is not a priority, we should be very careful that we do not repeat what has happened,” he said.
While acknowledging that Parliament operates independently, Bishop Gyamfi emphasised that presidential statements carry significant influence across state institutions and the broader public sphere. “When the President of the nation makes a statement, it has an effect on all sectors of the Ghanaian community, including Parliament, which is discussing this law,” he noted.
He further raised concerns about the potential implications for the legislative process, questioning whether Parliament might slow deliberations or deprioritise the bill in response to the President’s stance.
Despite these concerns, Bishop Gyamfi urged lawmakers to proceed with their constitutional mandate and advance the bill for presidential consideration. “Parliament must go ahead with its work and send the bill to the President’s desk,” he stated.
At the same time, he acknowledged the limits of external influence on legislative and executive processes, noting that stakeholders cannot compel either institution to act beyond established procedures.
He expressed optimism that the legislative process would be concluded within the current parliamentary term, with the bill ultimately presented to the President for assent.
