The spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has urged political leaders to avoid turning the controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill into a partisan dispute between the governing NDC and the opposition NPP.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, Sheikh Shaibu expressed disappointment over the renewed political disagreements surrounding the legislation, arguing that Ghana had already reached a broad national consensus on the issue.
His comments follow renewed debate over the future of the bill after President John Dramani Mahama recently stated at Chatham House in London that all constitutional and legislative procedures must be followed before any bill can be presented to him for assent.
The discussion was further intensified by remarks from Alban Bagbin, who suggested that both the Majority and Minority caucuses in Parliament may need to review the legislation before it progresses through the legislative process.
However, Sheikh Shaibu maintained that the matter had already undergone extensive national consultation and debate and should not become the subject of political rivalry.
“I think that, as a nation, there is no question regarding our unanimity regarding the anti-LGBT bill. It’s clear both parties have expressed their positions, stakeholders, including religious bodies, have also stated their positions, and Parliament under the former government, and even the present one, have all debated this issue,” he said.
According to him, the legislation had already been passed by Parliament and only required presidential assent before legal and procedural developments prevented it from reaching the former president.
“What I know is that at least procedurally, Parliament had passed the bill earlier on. It only needed presidential assent, which, by certain legal processes, failed to reach the table of the president, and so the former president did not sign,” he stated.
Sheikh Shaibu said he had expected the current process to focus on accelerating the bill’s return to the presidency for consideration, in line with previous commitments made on the matter.
“So I thought that this one was going to be just a pass through for us to quicken the pace and get it on the table of the current president, so in accordance with his promise that he will append his signature,” he said.
The Islamic scholar expressed concern about what he described as emerging divisions between the Majority and Minority over an issue he believes transcends partisan politics.
“For us to come here, where we do not know where we are facing the Minority taking a position and the Majority taking a position, for me, it’s disappointing to say the least, and I hope that we will not politicise this matter, because this matter that we are dealing with is a non-political matter from my angle,” he noted.
Sheikh Shaibu further argued that opposition to LGBTQ+ practices reflects deeply held cultural and religious beliefs shared by many Ghanaians.
“LGBT in whatever form it takes, it is an attack on the family institution, which is a sacred unit of society,” he said.
He added that any attempt to promote same-sex relationships should be viewed as a challenge to what he considers the foundation of society.
“As a people of culture, people of faith, people of religion, as our nation, we are unanimous on how evil this matter is,” he stated.
Reiterating his concerns about the ongoing political debate, Sheikh Shaibu called on political actors to approach the issue with unity rather than partisanship.
“To turn it into a kind of political debate now between the Majority and the Minority, for me, to say the least, is very disappointing,” he added.
