Ghana’s Minority Caucus in Parliament has fiercely condemned the government’s recent decision to abstain from a key vote on LGBTQ issues at the United Nations Human Rights Council. According to the NDC MPs, the move is a grave betrayal of Ghanaian cultural values and a dangerous signal of governmental indifference.
“Abstention is complicity,” said Damongo MP and Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, in a strongly worded press statement. He was reacting to Ghana’s choice to refrain from voting during the 59th session of the Council held in Geneva, where members considered whether to extend the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (IE SOGI).
Mr. Jinapor argued that the government’s inaction sent the wrong message. “Ghana returned to the Human Rights Council in January 2024, and had the opportunity at this 59th Session to make a statement in respect of her position on LGBTQ through the vote on the resolution… but again, chose to abstain,” he stated.
Challenging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ justification for abstaining, he dismissed the explanation that the vote was solely about protecting LGBTQ persons from violence and discrimination. “The statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the question was about protection is totally false,” he emphasized. “The real question was whether to extend the IE SOGI mandate, which invariably includes the promotion of LGBTQ.”
He further pointed out that many African nations voted against the mandate, not to endorse violence, but to reject what they view as external imposition on cultural values. “It cannot be the case that several countries that consistently vote against the mandate support violence or discrimination. They simply oppose LGBTQ simpliciter.”
Highlighting a report from April 17, 2025, Mr. Jinapor warned that the IE SOGI’s agenda aims to erode laws that uphold Ghanaian traditions. “In that report, the Independent Expert urges States to ‘end the practices of de jure and de facto criminalisation’ of LGBTQ. That’s an affront to our values.”
He also rejected the argument that Chapter Five of Ghana’s Constitution constrained the government’s ability to vote. “Nothing in Article 17 supports individual choice of sexual orientation or gender identity,” he asserted, suggesting that the government’s reasoning lacked constitutional basis.
Mr. Jinapor used the moment to criticize the Akufo-Addo administration for its failure to pass the much-debated Anti-Gay Bill. “The Government’s failure to lay the bill before Parliament and its consistent abstentions reveal its double standards on LGBTQ matters and Ghanaian family values.”
Referencing Ghana’s existing criminal code, he called on the government to reflect those laws on the international stage. “It is disappointing that on two separate occasions, this very Government has failed to join like-minded nations to project Ghana’s values at the global level.”
In conclusion, he clarified that while the Minority does not condone violence against any person, including LGBTQ individuals, it remains steadfast in preserving Ghana’s identity. “We remain committed to upholding the integrity of our nation and defending its norms, values, and practices, both at home and abroad. We urge the public to join us in this noble cause.”
