Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, the 2024 Vice-Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, has called on Parliament to re-engage and reconsider the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025.
The call follows controversy surrounding the Bill’s recent passage.
He said Parliament should revisit the legislation to build broader consensus and address concerns raised by the leadership of the House over the circumstances under which it was passed.
Speaking to journalists after an engagement with students of the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana under the “Time with the Politician” series, Dr Opoku-Prempeh said the matter required careful reconsideration.
“Parliament should re-engage itself on the bill,” he said when asked about the way forward.
Pressed further on what he meant by reconsideration, he explained: “Parliament should re-engage for the consideration of the bill. The passage is the last part of the consideration of the bill.”
Dr Opoku-Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, said he was surprised by developments surrounding the legislation and concerns publicly expressed by both President John Dramani Mahama and Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
“The way the President and the Speaker spoke out showed that something really untoward had happened, and that is why the Speaker hinted at reconsideration of the bill,” he said.
He argued that issues such as LGBTQ+ rights require broad consensus and careful parliamentary engagement.
“If the Speaker said he was not aware that it was going to end with the bill on that day, and a matter such as LGBTQ+ needs a broader consensus, then we should take a cue,” he stated.
The comments come days after Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, which prescribes sanctions for persons who engage in or promote LGBTQ+ activities.
However, Speaker Bagbin has since directed Parliament to reconsider the Bill after concerns were raised over procedural issues surrounding its passage.
The Speaker said the integrity of Parliament and public confidence in its legislative processes must be upheld, prompting renewed debate over the future of the legislation.
Dr Opoku-Prempeh also used the forum to stress the importance of leadership and political education, noting that the success of governments depends not only on presidents but also on the quality of ministers and public officials who support them.
He encouraged political actors and national leaders to document their experiences through books and memoirs to preserve Ghana’s political history for future generations.
The event was organised by the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Ghana to give students the opportunity to interact with experienced political leaders and gain practical insights into governance and public service.
The Country Representative of KAS Ghana, Anna Wasserfall, said the programme seeks to bridge the gap between political theory and practice by exposing students to real-life governance experience.
She urged students to actively participate in democratic processes and engage critically with public affairs.
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