Ghana’s President Says Anti-LGBT Bill Is Not a Priority, Catholic Cardinal Turkson Also Opposes Criminalization

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama said a new anti-LGBT bill is “not a priority” for his government while the country faces pressing problems in education, healthcare, and employment. The statement was reported by 76crimes and Human Rights Watch .

At a 30 March meeting with civil society organizations at Jubilee House, Mahama described LGBT issues as sensitive and called for a calm national discussion. He said the government should first address core socio-economic needs.

The issue concerns the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. Ghana’s parliament passed it in February 2024, but it did not become law because then-President Nana Akufo-Addo did not sign it. After Mahama returned to office in January 2025, the bill was reintroduced, and on 17 February 2026 parliament formally received a new version.

According to Human Rights Watch, the new text expands criminal penalties, including for self-identification as LGBT and for public support, advocacy, funding, and organizational activity in defense of the rights of LGBT people. Rights advocates warn that some provisions may allow prison terms of up to 10 years.

Catholic Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson had also spoken publicly against criminal prosecution of people for LGBT identity. In a BBC HARDtalk interview, he said that “gay people may not be criminalized because they’ve committed no crime,” and added that public debate requires education rather than punitive rhetoric.

Other influential participants in the discussion took a similar line. Politician Samia Nkrumah and Ghana’s Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice also called for a more balanced approach and warned about risks to citizens’ fundamental rights.