The Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, is urging Assin South MP Rev. John Ntim Fordjour to refrain from portraying the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill—popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill—as an NPP-driven crusade, insisting the legislation is a bipartisan national effort, not the property of any single political party.
This comes after Rev. Ntim Fordjour publicly suggested that government was attempting to stall the bill’s return to Parliament’s order paper—claims Mr Dafeamekpor says are unfounded and misleading.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Friday, November 21, the Majority Chief Whip dismissed Fordjour’s accusations as “propaganda,” stressing that the bill has already been reintroduced by multiple private members — including Fordjour himself — under Parliament’s established procedures.
Dafeamekpor said the House remains fully committed to passing the bill, but its immediate priority is completing work on the national budget, which must take precedence over any private member’s legislation.
“We are interested in passing this bill into law, and we will do so after the budget is passed. With that, we will have enough time to deal with it,” he noted.
He clarified that the reintroduced bill will still require renewed public input because of its similarity to the earlier version, meaning Parliament must again open channels for memoranda and stakeholder submissions.
But his strongest message was directed at Ntim Fordjour.
Dafeamekpor cautioned that making the legislation appear like an NPP agenda is not only inaccurate but risks fracturing the broad parliamentary consensus that has driven the bill from the outset.
“He must speak in a manner that carries everyone along. This is a bipartisan bill. He shouldn’t make it appear as though it is an NPP agenda,” he warned.
With the bill now awaiting post-budget consideration, Dafeamekpor emphasised that maintaining unity and clarity around its status is essential to prevent needless political tension and public misunderstanding.
