A member of the National Democratic Congress communication team, Japhet Festus Gbede, has sharply criticized the former New Patriotic Party administration for failing to complete the approval process of the LGBTQ+ bill before leaving office. His comments were shared during a discussion on Kaleawo FM’s newspaper review programme, where he argued that the behaviour of the Akufo-Addo–Bawumia government suggested an intentional refusal to advance the bill.
Gbede maintained that the previous administration had the full capacity to act on the legislation but never did, a move he described as a disappointment to citizens who expected decisive leadership on a matter tied closely to the country’s cultural standards. In his view, the NPP’s handling of the bill signalled an approach that did not align with the expectations of many Ghanaians.
He also urged the NPP to stay away from critiquing the ongoing steps being taken under President John Dramani Mahama, insisting that the former government’s inaction had disqualified them from commenting on progress the new administration is making. Gbede highlighted that the current government is actively moving the bill through the necessary stages after it was sent back to Parliament.
He assured the public that President Mahama intends to see the bill through without interference and is fully committed to safeguarding the nation’s cultural identity. Gbede added that the administration is determined to finalise the process that the previous government left incomplete.
His remarks have stirred reactions among political watchers, with some noting that the LGBTQ+ bill has become a renewed point of ideological division between the NDC and the NPP.
