Were Ghanaian family values taught in school, there would be no need for the controversial Anti-LGBTQIA+ bill, also known as the Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, President John Mahama has asserted, speaking with Catholic Bishops.

He noted the bill was “effectively dead” and “expired” along with the passing of the 8th Parliament.

The reelected president suggested a thorough engagement with stakeholders over the bill to decide its future, if so desired.

He hinted at it, upon possible revival, being a government-backed bill instead of its promoters being private members of Parliament.

“I don’t know what the promoters of the bill intend to do but I do think that we should have a conversation on it again so that all of us, if we decide to move the bill forward, move it forward with a consensus,” President Mahama said.

“And probably, it shouldn’t be a private member’s bill. It probably should be a government bill, with government behind it after consultation with all stakeholders to see how we able to move this forward.”

“But it leads us back to the discussion we had. That if we were teaching our values in school we wouldn’t need to pass a bill to enforce our family values,” he added.

The bill passed by the 8th Parliament did not receive assent by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, despite pressures from the clergy and political actors including then main opposition leader John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 was famously championed by NDC Member of Parliament (MP) Sam George of Ningo Prampram.