Anti-gay bill: ‘Mahama is the most dangerous politician in Ghana’s history, he must sign the bill’ — Collins Owusu Amankwah

Collins Owusu Amankwah has criticised President John Dramani Mahama over his recent reaction regarding the anti-LGBTQ bill.

The President, in a meeting with some Bishops on whether or not he will sign the bill, said it has expired with the demise of the 8th Parliament. He indicated that there is no essence for the legislation if education on Ghana's family values is strengthened in schools and the families.

When a delegation from the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference called on him in Accra, the President said, “If we are teaching our values in school, we won’t need to pass a bill to enforce our family values. That’s why I think more than even the Family Values Bill is that we agreed on a curriculum that inculcates these values into our children as they are growing up so that we don’t need to legislate it.

“…as far as I know, the bill did not get to the President for assent and so, the convention is that all bills that are not passed before the expiration of the life of Parliament expire. And so that bill effectively is dead, it has expired.”

He further stated, “I don’t know what the promoters of the bill intend to do but I do think that we should have on it again so that all of us, if we decide to move that bill forward, we move it forward with a consensus and probably it shouldn’t be a Private Member’s Bill; it probably should be a government bill with government behind it after consultation with all the stakeholders…”

However, the former-Manhyia North MP, Collins Owusu Amankwah, in an interview on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show opined that Mahama cannot run away from signing the bill, particularly when he used the bill to campaign against the Akufo-Addo government.

He expressed disgust at the President's comment but stressed that, come what may, the President will be made to sign the bill.

"For me it is more dangerous, and he is proven to be the most dangerous politician of our time, Mr. John Dramani Mahama," he expressed.

The bill which was passed under the Akufo-Addo administration is still gathering dust due to legal challenges.