Ningo-Prampram Member of Parliament, Sam Nartey George, has officially reintroduced the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill in Parliament, this time as a private member’s bill, marking a renewed push to criminalize LGBTQ activities in Ghana.

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The legislation, which had previously stalled, is now back on the parliamentary agenda without the backing of the executive. Speaking on Joy News' PM Express on Tuesday night, Sam George reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to the cause.

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“Four weeks and a few days ago, together with some of my colleagues, we reintroduced the bill as a private member’s bill,” he disclosed. “I have kept my fidelity and my promise to the Ghanaian people to reintroduce the bill.”

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Although former President John Mahama had hoped for the government to spearhead the bill's return, Sam George insisted that his loyalty to his constituents took precedence.

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“At my vetting, I was asked that question. My chiefs were sitting behind me, and I made the point clear,” he said.

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“I have absolute respect and deference for President Mahama’s position. However, as a member of parliament, I owe fidelity as well to my chiefs and people.”

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He emphasized that his community had given him a clear directive—to fight for legislation that upholds traditional Ghanaian family values.

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“That was the mandate they gave me. And I told them that when the ninth Parliament resumed, I was going to reintroduce the bill. And I have done so.”

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Sam George clarified that while the executive has the legal capacity to assume control of the bill during deliberations, no such action has been taken yet.

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Currently, the bill is advancing through the private member’s pathway. He also addressed delays, noting that the structure of Parliament has changed since the bill’s initial introduction.

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“The committees of Parliament were only set up barely a week or two before Parliament’s dissolution. So it’s not like four years ago where we sent it straight to the Constitutional Legal Affairs Committee,” he explained.

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A newly formed committee now handles private members’ bills, and Sam George attributed the slowed pace to that transition.

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“The parliamentary process takes a certain number of steps,” he added.

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He recalled that the initial bill, first submitted in 2021, only gained parliamentary traction in late 2023.

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“Yes, in 2021/22, there was a lot of conversation. But it was a media conversation. It was not a parliamentary movement.”

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This time, however, he is confident of faster progress due to the overwhelming support in Parliament.

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“We have a super majority. I expect it to move faster through Parliament this time,” he said.

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“Because again, what we have presented is what the eighth Parliament approved and passed. We have not changed a single word.”

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In his view, the unchanged text reduces the need for prolonged public consultation.

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“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” he remarked.

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Although Parliament is currently in recess, Sam George remains hopeful that the new Private Members Bill Committee will prioritize the legislation once sessions resume.

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“I’m hoping that when Parliament reconvenes, the new leadership of the Private Members Bill Committee will table this bill, work with expedition on it.”

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He reiterated his resolve to fulfill the duty entrusted to him by his constituents, traditional leaders, and Parliament.

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“I have kept my fidelity and my promise,” he stated firmly. “To the Ghanaian people. To my chiefs. To Parliament. And you have done same.”

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