Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the presidential candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has firmly stated that he will not permit LGBTQ+ activities if elected president. Speaking on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at a meeting with religious leaders in Tamale, Dr. Bawumia reiterated his strong opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, citing the Bible and the Quran’s prohibition of homosexuality as his foundation.
This is not the first time Vice President Bawumia has expressed strong opposition to LGBTQ rights. On April 11, 2024, during Eid prayers in Kumasi, he declared his strict opposition to the practice based on his Muslim faith.
In his reaffirmation on Thursday, May 16, Dr. Bawumia pledged to uphold and protect the values and traditions that define Ghana, ensuring the preservation of the nation’s cultural identity if he becomes president. “On this matter of LGBTQ, I want to say again without any equivocation that we will not allow it in Ghana. It is not going to be allowed. Our Bible says no, our Quran says no, and our people say no, so no. That is the answer,” Dr. Bawumia asserted.
He emphasized that Ghanaian cultural values do not condone or recognize same-sex marriage, stating, “No man will be marrying a man, no woman will be marrying a woman. It is not our value. And I will stand firm no matter the consequences. We will safeguard our country and we will safeguard our people.”
The controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values bill, also known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, was passed by Parliament on February 28, 2024. However, its fate remains uncertain as it is currently being challenged in court, with a decision pending on whether the President of Ghana should sign it into law