The Ministry of Education has distanced itself from allegations that the inclusion of gender identity content in a Physical Education and Health elective teacher manual for Senior High Schools (SHS) was approved by the ministry.

According to the Ministry in a statement, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu assumed office after the Physical Education and Health elective teacher manual for SHS Year Two (2024), was authorized by the former government.

“The development and production of this manual predate the appointment of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as Minister for Education. He therefore had no oversight of the said material produced,” the Ministry stated.

The statement further indicated that the the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), with technical support from Transforming Teaching, Education and Learning (T-TEL), involving more than 300 Ghanaian professionals across the education sector began the development of the curriculum in 2021.

However, it emphasized that the leadership of Minister only supervised the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) handbooks, adding “The PLC handbook contains no ambiguity regarding the definition of gender”.

The recent development comes at a time when Ghana is yet to make a final decision over the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, sparking widespread debate and speculation.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has confidently stated that he will sign the anti-LBGTQ bill once it is successfully approved by parliament.

During a courtesy visit by the Christian Council of Ghana on Tuesday, November 18, at Jubilee House, the president mentioned all the factors that must come into play for him to assent to the bill.

“I believe that we have no questions or equivocations about what we believe. I believe that we are completely aligned with the Christian Council in terms of your belief. We agree with the Speaker to relay the bill and let Parliament debate it. And if any amendments or adjustments need to be made, if the people’s representatives in Parliament endorse the bill, vote on it, and pass it, and it comes to me as president, I will sign it,” President Mahama said.

The controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly referred to as the anti-LBGTQ bill, has been reintroduced in Parliament, according to Assin South MP, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour.

In an interview with The Independent Ghana on Thursday, February 27, Ntim Fordjour urged President John Dramani Mahama to sign the bill into law if Parliament approves it again.

He emphasised that the legislation reflects Ghanaian cultural values and called for swift action to ensure its implementation.

The bill, which aims to outlaw LGBTQ+ activities and criminalise their promotion, advocacy, and funding, was previously passed by the 8th Parliament. However, it did not receive Presidential assent under former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s tenure.

President John Dramani Mahama has declared that the Anti-LBGTQ+ Bill, formally known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, is no longer active, as it expired with the previous Parliament's session.

Speaking during a meeting with clergy, Mahama clarified the bill’s current status, explaining, “As far as I know, the bill did not get to the President for assent. And so the convention is that all bills that are not assented to before the expiration of the life of Parliament expired, and so that Bill is effectively dead; it has expired.”

He underscored the importance of reinitiating discussions on the bill, suggesting a collaborative review process. “I do think that we should have a conversation on it again, so that all of us, if we decide to move that bill forward, move forward with a consensus,” Mahama stated.

Proposing a shift in the bill's sponsorship, the former president argued that it should no longer be introduced as a private member's bill but rather receive formal government backing. “I don't know what the promoters of the bill want to do, but we should have a conversation about it again… probably it shouldn't be a private members' bill. It should be a government bill with government behind it after consultation with all the stakeholders to see how to move this forward,” he noted.

Before his return to office, Mahama had already expressed a cautious approach toward the bill, emphasising the need for a constitutional review. Speaking with BBC Africa on December 4, he elaborated: “It is not an anti-LBGTQI Bill; it is a Family Values Bill. It was approved unanimously by our Parliament. [LGBTQI] is against our African culture, it is against our religious faith, but I think we must look at the Bill, and the president must indicate what he finds wrong with that bill and send it back to Parliament, or alternatively he must send it to the Council of State and get the Council of State’s advice.”

When asked if he would sign the bill into law if elected, Mahama responded cautiously, stating, “It depends on what is in the Bill.” He emphasised that any decision would be based on a thorough examination of the bill’s content and legal compliance. “That is what I would have done,” he affirmed.