President John Dramani Mahama has assured the nation of his commitment to assent to the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, popularly known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, when it is passed by Parliament.
He also stated his government's position clearly, that “marriage is between a man and a woman.”
President Mahama gave the assurance during a meeting with the leadership of the Christian Council of Ghana at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday, where he provided detailed updates on six critical issues of national concern raised by the religious body.
The issues included the fight against illegal mining (galamsey), the stalled Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, the controversial National Cathedral project, the fight against corruption and youth unemployment.
The issues were contained in a presentation made to the President, in which the council urged the government to take action on areas it considered critical to the country’s socioeconomic well-being.
The Vice-Chair of the Council, Rev. Enoch Thompson, said in spite of efforts, the government’s perceived soft stance on the illegal mining menace risked undermining gains made; as he urged the government to continue and complete the national cathedral.
The council also wants the fight against corruption to be impartial, fair and grounded in truth, and a greater collaboration between stakeholders, and autonomy for missions schools as is the case with mission hospitals.
Rev. Thompson identified the stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in which six young ladies died as a reminder of the desperation of the youth with regard to unemployment.
Family Values Bill
Addressing the status of the Family Values Bill, President Mahama explained that the bill had technically expired with the dissolution of the previous Parliament, as it was never submitted to the President for assent due to a legal injunction.
Rev. Enoch Thompson, Vice-Chairman of the Christian Council, speaking at the event
"And so it means that the bill has to be re-laid in the House," he stated.
He affirmed his government's alignment with the Christian Council's values, saying, "The speaker has given notice that he will allow it to be re-laid. We agree with the Speaker to re-lay the bill and let Parliament debate it."
President Mahama promised, "If the Parliament of the people of Ghana endorse the bill, vote on it and pass it and it comes to me as President, I will sign it."
Complex galamsey fight
On the pervasive challenge of illegal mining, President Mahama described it as a "complex and challenging fight" deeply embedded in the social fabric, driven by a lack of opportunities for the youth and the high price of gold.
He detailed the security challenges, citing recent attacks on state task force and journalists by communities, reminiscent of the murder of Major Mahama.
The President said he had directed security services to arrest all perpetrators to "stamp the authority of the state."
To streamline the fight, he announced the creation of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Security (NAIMOS) to coordinate all anti-galamsey activities and prevent extortion by rogue groups.
The President also revealed that Cabinet had approved a draft Public Tribunals Bill to expedite the trial of illegal mining cases.
Furthermore, the President outlined a multi-pronged approach focusing on seizing and destroying equipment such as Changfan machines and excavators, and targeting the supply chain for spare parts.
A key pillar of the strategy, he said, was a pilot Public-Private Partnership (PPP) reclamation project of 1,000 hectares of degraded land.
"We're going to employ these same boys who are used in the galamsey to be the ones to plant the trees because unless you give them an alternative, they would end up in the galamsey sites again," President Mahama said.
National Cathedral
Regarding the National Cathedral, President Mahama disclosed that he had directed a forensic audit into the project's accounts after an initial audit commissioned by the Board of Trustees revealed issues.
"We want to know what happened. Before we go forward, we must know what happened,” he said, adding that the government was awaiting the report.
He expressed his personal belief in building an interdenominational place of worship but questioned the proposed $400 million cost, suggesting a need for broader consultation.
“Our intention is to have a broad-based consultation with the Christian community to see how we can build a place that is decent for us to worship,” he said.
Anti-corruption fight
Reiterating his government's commitment to fighting corruption, President Mahama warned his appointees that any misconduct would be dealt with severely.
He, however, cautioned against a rush to judge and condemn, emphasising the need for state institutions to meticulously gather evidence to secure convictions in court.
“We are not in the military and revolutionary days. We're going to go through, gather the evidence, prepare the dockets properly so that when we take these people to court, we're sure of what it is we've accused them of,” he explained.
