There is every indication that President Akufo-Addo is acting ‘wise’ by dodging
the consequences of the passage of the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill of 2021, also referred to as the Anti-LGBT+ Bill now, as well as reckless spending and borrowing by his regime to the next elected government in 2025. Let us look at the 2 issues stated above further.

First, the issue of LGBTQA+ borders on the rights of minority groups in society
particularly in the West, but is frowned upon by the majority of African societies since it is perceived as alien to African culture. It was not surprising to see the majority of Ghanaians, including religious and traditional leaders, supporting the passed anti-LGBTQA+ bill while awaiting presidential assent to it.

When President Akufo-Addo was interviewed on Al Jazeera TV on this matter, he
categorically said that ‘it was bound to happen in Ghana’ but it would need 'social engineering’ for it to happen.

Fast forward: the Anti-LGBT+ bill was unanimously passed on February 28.
By 2024, by the current 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic, there were economic threats from the West and concerned individuals within and outside of Ghana, leading to the passed bill being injuncted in court.

Although nothing stopped President Akufo-Addo constitutionally from giving his
opinion on whether to assent to the bill or not, he wants the Supreme Court to give a ruling on the injunction application before he expresses his view on whether to sign it or not. Ironically, when it came to the passage of the controversial E-levy, the President did the opposite.

The Secretary to the President went ahead and wrote to the Speaker of Parliament
to ‘cease and desist’ from transmitting the modified Anti-LGBTQA+ bill to the
Presidency. This caused an uproar between the Presidency and Parliament. This is
a clear attempt by the Presidency to put ice on the passed bill until the expiration of his tenure in just 6 months.

Second, this Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led regime came to meet the national debt
covering 4 former Presidents of the 4th Republic and increased it from GHS122 billion to GHS658.6 billion just within 8 years, and this figure is expected to increase further, with little developmental projects to show for the astronomical borrowing.

Despite the IMF's $3 billion bailout, all macroeconomic indicators, such as the exchange rate, inflation rate, interbank policy rate, debt to GDP, etc., coupled with the high cost of living, are getting worse over time.

This is a demonstration of irresponsibility and insensitivity on the part of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led regime to engage in ‘carry forward’ to escape the consequences of the anti-LGBT+ bill and unbridled national debt accumulation coupled with the high cost of living in Ghana.

Instead of Ghanaians voicing out loudly about the appalling performance of the
For Akufo-Addo's government to minimise the mismanagement going on, there is this attitude of ‘wait and see what happens.'

The ‘wise’ Akufo-Addo appears to have given up on leaving behind a positive legacy and simply pushing the controversial anti-LGBT+ bill and ‘outlier’ national debt to the next government after the 2024 general elections to be saddled with any consequences associated with his indecision on the passed bill and insatiable borrowing. This is highly unfortunate.