Samuel Nartey George, the Ningo Prampram MP and a leading proponent of the “Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill,” has criticized Ghana’s abstention in a United Nations Human Rights Council vote on July 7, 2025, to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on Protection Against Violence and Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (A/HRC/59/L.2).
In a statement on his X page on July 9, 2025, George expressed support for Ghana’s official statement on the resolution but called the decision to abstain “in conflict with Ghana’s espoused position and my conscience.”“I align fully with the letter and spirit of the text of Ghana’s statement on draft resolution L.24, but I could not, in good conscience, understand the decision to abstain in the subsequent vote,” George wrote.
“We MUST at all times make our position clear and unambiguous.” The resolution passed with 29 votes in favor, 15 against, and Ghana among three abstaining nations.George, a key advocate for the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, urged Parliament to expedite the approval process for the legislation, reintroduced in February 2025 after former President Nana Akufo-Addo declined to assent to a similar bill in 2024 due to legal challenges. “Like I indicated earlier, together with my Colleagues in Parliament, we have resubmitted the same Bill that was passed last year,” he stated. “I urge Parliament to expedite the approval process, so we present the Bill to President John Dramani Mahama. The innocence of Ghanaian children and the sanctity of our values cannot be traded for any consideration.”
The bill seeks to criminalize same-sex relationships, advocacy, and related activities. It has faced international criticism and warnings of economic repercussions, including a potential $3.8 billion World Bank funding loss. George’s call aligns with other critics, including Okaikwei Central MP Patrick Boamah, who called the abstention “shocking,” and Assin South MP Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, who labeled it “cowardly” and issued a one-week ultimatum to name those delaying the bill’s gazetting.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended the abstention in a July 9 press release, stating it aligns with Ghana’s 1992 Constitution and its binary gender definition, clarifying that the vote was about protection from violence, not endorsing LGBTQ+ rights. Minister for Government Communications Felix Ofosu Kwakye, in a July 7 Asempa FM interview, defended the Mahama administration, noting plans to pass the bill as a government initiative and accusing the NPP of failing to advance it during their eight-year tenure.
George’s unwavering stance, echoed by Moses Foh-Amoaning’s call for constitutional amendments to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities, intensifies pressure on the Mahama administration to act swiftly. As debates over Ghana’s cultural values and international obligations escalate, George’s plea for Parliament to prioritize the bill underscores the ongoing divide over LGBTQ+ issues.
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