The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has rejected demands from the Parliamentary Minority for President John Dramani Mahama to apologize regarding his recent comments on the anti-LGBTQ bill. The President had stated that while the subject is important, the passage of the bill is not the nation’s most pressing priority.
The Minority’s demand followed allegations that the governing National Democratic Congress is attempting to integrate LGBTQ-related concepts into the Constitution via the ongoing review process. During a press conference on April 7, John Ntim Fordjour, a proponent of the bill, cited sections of the Constitutional Review Committee’s report as evidence of these developments. Consequently, the caucus called for an apology to religious and traditional leaders for the government’s alleged failure to prioritize the legislation.
In an interview with JoyNews on Tuesday, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu questioned the rationale behind the Minority’s stance. “What is there to apologise for?” he asked. “Are you saying that what matters most to the public is the LGBTQ issue and not their welfare?”
He maintained that the administration is focused on economic stability and job creation rather than what he termed misplaced priorities. “Should the President apologise for making the welfare of Ghanaians his priority? Where is the logic in this? The President should apologise for saying that making sure the youth of Ghana has jobs is his priority?” he added.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu further criticized the Minority for the timing of their agitation, questioning why the issue was not treated with similar urgency during the New Patriotic Party’s time in office. “If it was truly a priority for them, why didn’t they act on it while in power? When did it suddenly become urgent?” he queried.