Director of Communications for the United Party, Solomon Owusu, has stated that it is unreasonable for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to mount pressure on President John Dramani Mahama to assent to the anti-LGBTQ bill when it has not yet been formally transmitted to the Presidency.

Speaking on the AM Show on JoyNews on Thursday, April 9, Mr. Owusu stressed that ongoing political criticism of the president over the matter is misplaced, insisting that due process must be completed before any expectation of presidential action.

“Reminding the president, what they do is very important,” he said, linking his remarks to the growing public debate over the handling of the legislation.

He further defended President Mahama, arguing that there was no basis for the pressure being mounted by political actors.

“We cannot even fault President Mahama to that large extent because, as we speak, there is no bill before President Mahama for him to sign.”

Mr Owusu also made reference to the handling of similar legislative matters under the previous NPP administration, led by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and then Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, suggesting that the process was treated differently at the time.

He further questioned the current political pressure being exerted on the president.

“That’s why I asked, who is intimidating our president? Who is doing that?” he questioned.

His comments come amid renewed political exchanges over the anti-LGBT bill, with the Minority also weighing in on the matter.

Speaking on behalf of the minority at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) headquarters, the member of Parliament for Assin South and sponsor of the anti-LGBT bill, John Ntim Fordjour, referenced recommendations contained in the Constitutional Review Committee’s report, citing pages 107 and 108.

The minority also called on President Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to apologise to religious and traditional leaders, accusing them of failing to prioritise the anti-LGBT bill.