Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State responsible for Government Communications, has rejected the Minority in Parliament’s demands that President John Dramani Mahama issue an apology for the way the government handled the anti-LGBTQ bill.
His comments come after the Minority voiced concerns about what it claimed were attempts to include LGBTQ-related ideas into Ghana’s Constitution during the current constitutional review process.
John Ntim Fordjour, the Member of Parliament for Assin South and the sponsor of the anti-LGBTQ bill, highlighted recommendations on pages 107 and 108 of the Constitutional Review Committee’s report as proof of what he called concerning trends during a news conference on April 7.
The Minority then demanded an apology to religious and traditional leaders from the President and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) for allegedly neglecting to give the law first priority.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu refuted the demand in response to the allegations on The Pulse on JoyNews on Tuesday, April 7.
He asked, “What is there to apologise for?. Are you telling me that what matters most to the public is the LGBTQ issue and not their welfare? Is that what the NPP is pushing?”
He challenged the Minority’s position, contending that citizen welfare, particularly in areas like job creation and economic stability, remains the government’s top priority.
“So the President should go and apologise for making the welfare of Ghanaians his priority? Is that what they are calling you for? Where is the logic in this?” he questioned.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu also voiced concern about the opposition’s allegedly misguided aims.
“Why do they waste their time in the manner that they do? Should the president apologise for saying that the youth of Ghana having jobs is a priority? He should apologise for saying that?” he continued.
He also questioned the timing of the minority’s renewed drive for anti-LGBTQ legislation, implying that during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) tenure in power, the matter was not deemed vital.
“Indeed, if it were a priority for them (NPP), why did they not sign it when they were in power? When did it become a priority for them? Only when they left power?” he asked. he questioned.
Source: newsthemegh.com