The Coalition of Muslim Organisations, Ghana (COMOG) has expressed deep concern over what it describes as the quiet removal of key accountability provisions from Ghana’s recently passed anti-LGBTQI+ legislation, warning that the changes have rendered the law significantly less effective.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, June 4, 2026, and signed by its National President, Hajj Abdel-Manan Abdel-Rahman, the Islamic umbrella body alleged that critical clauses intended to hold financiers, sponsors, and advocacy groups legally accountable were deleted from the final version of the bill before its passage. According to the coalition, those provisions were originally crafted to empower authorities to arrest and prosecute individuals and organisations both local and international that fund, promote, sponsor, or facilitate LGBTQI-related activities.
COMOG argued that the absence of these punitive measures creates what it termed an “escape route” for well-funded institutional promoters, leaving the law unable to effectively enforce its stated objectives. The group maintained that without the legal mandate to target the financial and organisational backing of such activities, the legislation risks becoming functionally ineffective.
Beyond the substance of the amendments, the coalition also questioned the legislative process that led to the bill’s passage. It claimed that the revised version was rushed through Parliament without the broad and transparent stakeholder consultations that characterised the earlier draft. COMOG described the original bill as the product of extensive engagement among religious bodies, traditional authorities, civil society organisations, and other interest groups, resulting in what it called a more robust legal framework.
The group commended the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, for reportedly raising concerns about the integrity of the process. COMOG recalled its longstanding engagement with the Speaker during earlier discussions on the bill and noted that it had previously conferred on him the “Saifullah” (“Sword of Allah”) award in recognition of his stance on issues it considers central to Ghana’s moral and religious values.
In its statement, COMOG did not spare either side of the political divide. It criticised the previous parliamentary majority for failing to secure presidential assent for the original version of the bill, while also faulting the current majority for presiding over what it sees as a dilution of key safeguards before passing the revised legislation.
Calling for urgent action, the coalition appealed to faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, civil society groups, and the wider public to support efforts aimed at reconsidering and restoring what it described as the stronger, original bill. COMOG maintained that laws affecting Ghana’s moral and cultural foundations must be built on transparency and firm accountability mechanisms to safeguard future generations.