A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team, Wonder Madilo, has rejected claims that the party or government is avoiding responsibility for the controversial LGBTQ bill currently before Parliament.
Speaking on AM Show on 7 April, Mr Madilo stressed that the NDC remains committed to due process and will act when the bill reaches the appropriate stage.
“First and foremost, the NDC is not, or the government is not, running away from the responsibility of signing this law,” he said. “As a matter of fact, why are we where we are today? That is what is very key to us.”
Mr Madilo criticised comparisons with the administration of former President Nana Akufo-Addo, arguing that the issue was not treated as a priority during his tenure.
“Akufo-Addo was in his eighth year in government, but he did not find it expedient from year one all the way to the eighth year,” he said. “When he was even ready to exit, and this came up, we were told that it was a topical issue in the last election.”
He also dismissed suggestions that the 2024 general election was centred on LGBTQ issues, noting that broader factors shaped public discourse. “The last election was not all about LGBTQ. There were antecedents,” he explained.
Mr Madilo referenced earlier developments, including a 2021 case involving 21 individuals arrested over alleged LGBTQ-related activities, which was later dismissed in court. He noted that by 2024, the private member’s bill had gained prominence, largely driven by opposition Members of Parliament.
He further accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of failing to actively engage with the issue while in government.
“In the last Parliament, when this happened, it was led largely by opposition party members. It came to a point where we had to force the NPP to make their position known on LGBTQ because they were not even joining the debate,” he claimed.
Turning to the present, Mr Madilo criticised the opposition for what he described as weak oversight.
“If you have an opposition today that is not ready to do the real job of putting government on its toes, and you are complaining that the bill has not been signed, what attempt have you made?” he questioned.
He reiterated that President John Mahama has maintained a consistent position, stating he would assent to the bill once it is properly presented to him.
“In opposition, the president said once the bill gets to his table, he will sign it, and he is still standing by that,” Mr Madilo said. “The issue is that the bill is not even on his table at the moment.”
He added that the president believes such a significant matter should involve government leadership rather than rely solely on private members’ initiatives.
Mr Madilo concluded that the president would act once the legislative process is completed. “Once the bill gets to the table, President Mahama will sign it,” he maintained.
