Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu criticizes politicization of Ghana's Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill debates
via GhanaWeb4 min read
Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, has expressed disappointment over the renewed political debates surrounding Ghana's Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on June 2, 2026, Sheikh Shaibu warned political actors against turning the bill into a partisan issue between the National Democratic Congress NDC and the New Patriotic Party NPP. He emphasized that there was already a national consensus on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, with both political parties, religious bodies, and Parliament having previously debated and established their positions. His comments follow recent remarks by President John Dramani Mahama regarding the need to exhaust constitutional and legislative processes, and Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin's suggestion to re-examine the legislative text. Sheikh Shaibu argued that the bill's substance has undergone extensive scrutiny and should not be reopened for political maneuvering. He recalled that Parliament had previously passed the bill, but it failed to receive presidential assent due to legal processes. He had expected the current parliamentary session to treat the matter as a procedural formality to deliver the document to President Mahama, rather than seeing the front benches divided into hostile factions. Sheikh Shaibu reiterated that resistance to LGBTQ+ advocacy is rooted in Ghanaian culture and faith, representing core societal values, and should not be politicized.
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