Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has declared that a future John Dramani Mahama presidency is fully prepared to give immediate assent to the controversial LGBTQ bill once it is submitted to the Presidency. The South Dayi Member of Parliament made the comments during an interview on Joy News’ PM Express, shedding new light on the political direction of the legislation and the position of the next potential administration.
According to Mr. Dafeamekpor, the main obstacle that stalled the bill previously was not Parliament itself but the failure to secure presidential assent before the dissolution of the last Parliament. “I am not the one who will sign… let me explain,” he said, recalling how he and his colleague Sam George championed the bill through Parliament with “passion” and successfully passed it before it stalled. He emphasised that the bill’s passage by lawmakers was not the issue it was the lack of presidential endorsement that ultimately halted its legal progression.
Dafeamekpor pointed out that the legislation had already “matured into an Act of Parliament” and was merely waiting for the presidential signature, raising complex constitutional questions about its stalled status. “So constitutionally speaking, what is the fate of a bill that was no longer a bill that had become an Act of Parliament, but [was] pending assent?” he asked, explaining that the matter might have benefited from judicial interpretation had it been challenged in the Supreme Court.
- He explained that pursuing such legal action was ultimately set aside because of practical considerations, noting that taking the issue to court would have required significant time, money and resources after Parliament had already invested heavily in the legislative process. “We had ventilated it, because you see, in doing these things, it costs money and resources and time and everything,” Dafeamekpor said.
Despite the setback in the previous parliamentary cycle, the Majority Chief Whip was unequivocal that the bill would be reintroduced and passed once again. When asked directly by host Evans Mensah whether Parliament would bring the measure back before lawmakers, Dafeamekpor shifted focus to the Presidency, asserting that the person who would sign the bill referring to Mr. Mahama had already signaled readiness.
“I am saying the person who will sign says, ‘My pen is ready. The ink is dripping’. If you bring it today, I’ll sign it the next minute,” he stated, reinforcing the notion that the Presidency’s willingness to assent this time around would remove the previous bottleneck.
Pressed further on the logistics of re-submission, his response remained firm: “We’ll bring it.”
- Mr. Dafeamekpor also addressed concerns from faith-based organisations and religious bodies nationwide, noting that consultations have already taken place with both Christian and Muslim groups that have expressed strong interest in the bill. “We want to assure the nation and all the faith-based institutions and religious bodies… that this bill will pass, just like we did a year or two ago,” he said, highlighting the broad engagement with key stakeholders.
He stressed that the crucial difference in the current political climate is the certainty at the Presidency regarding assent. “But the difference is that the President, before we even kick start that process, is in readiness to sign,” he added, underlining confidence that the legislation will not only be reintroduced but will successfully make its way through the final stage of becoming law.
The comments came amid ongoing national debate over the LGBTQ bill formally known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which was passed by Parliament earlier but left unsigned, leading to legal uncertainty and controversy. The proposed legislation has been strongly supported by religious organisations and segments of the Ghanaian public who argue it protects cultural and family values, while it has been criticised by human rights advocates who contend that it infringes on fundamental freedoms.
By restating the intention to reintroduce the bill and stressing presidential willingness to assent, Dafeamekpor’s remarks signal a renewed push by proponents of the legislation to see it through to completion in the next parliamentary session.