I never said Akufo-Addo would be jailed if he signs anti-LGBT+ law - NPP MP clarifies

Member of Parliament(MP) for the New Juaben South Constituency, Michael Okyere Baafi, has denied ever saying that the President of Ghana will be jailed if he assents to the Anti-Gay bill.

According to him, a news item attributed to him seeks to misinform the general public about the exact message he conveyed.

In a rejoinder issued on April 2, the MP indicated that he only said the president wasn't against the bill.

"The LGBTQ cannot be tolerated. The 1992 Constitution already frowns upon it. So we, the MPs, based on powers given to us, support the anti-LGBTQ+ bill in parliament, but the law stipulates that the bill must be assented to by the president before it becomes law.

"But as the president prepares to receive and assent the bill, some human rights activists took the matter to the Supreme Court to halt the president from signing.

"The President supports the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill because, in our monthly meetings with him, he informed us to support the bill to be passed because it is a good law. The president is not against the bill," he said.

Ghana's parliament passed the bill on February 28, 2024.

The bill was to be sent to the President of Ghana, who is expected to sign it into law.

In the past few months, the president has refused to sign a private members bill passed by parliament because of a supposed financial obligation that comes with it.

Under the new bill, a maximum five-year jail term for forming or funding LGBT+ groups will be slapped on persons found guilty.

Lawmakers did not agree to replace the prison term with community service and counselling.

The bill, which both political parties in parliament supported, had the backing of the Christian, Muslim, and traditional communities.

However, two suits against the bill are at the Supreme Court, and the President of Ghana has insisted that the suits be heard before he acts on the bill.

Read His Rejoinder Below

RE: I ONLY DISMISSED CLAIMS SUGGESTING THE PRESIDENT IS AGAINST THE LGBTQ+ BILL AND HAS INTENTIONALLY DELAYED THE PROCESS

The attention of Hon. Michael Okyere Baafi, MP for New Juaben South Constituency has been drawn to a news headline: “President Akufo-Addo will be jailed if he assents to LGBTQ+”.

It can be said without any equivocation of doubt that the said headline seeks to misinform the general public about the exact message the Honourable member conveyed.

FACTS:

Hon. Baafi was addressing congregants of The Church of Pentecost during the Easter Convention in Koforidua, he explained the recent brouhaha concerning the LGBTQ+ bill.

“The LGBTQ cannot be tolerated. The 1992 Constitution already frowns upon on it. So we the MPs based on powers given to us support the anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Parliament but the law stipulates that the bill must be assented to by the President before it becomes law. But as the President prepares to receive and assent to the bill some human rights activists took the matter to the Supreme Court to halt the president from signing.

The President supports the Anti -LGBTQ+ bill because, in our monthly meetings with him, he informed us to support the bill to be passed because it is a good law. The President is not against the bill.”

Hon. Okere Baafi used the occasion to only dismiss claims insinuating that the President is against the bill and has intentionally delayed the process.

We urge the general public to listen to the full tape and treat any other doctored tape seeking to distort the facts with the utmost of contempt it deserves.