“Watered Down to Please Donors” – NPP’s Kwasi Kwarteng Tears Into New Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

A member of the NPP Communication Team, Kwasi Kwarteng Esq., has launched a scathing attack on Ghana’s newly proposed Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, describing it as an “empty law” that has been stripped of its substance to satisfy international interests and donors.

Speaking on the differences between the previous and current versions of the bill via a zoom interview on Kessben TV’s Digest show, Kwarteng argued that while the old legislation had its flaws, it was more direct and far-reaching in its intent.

“The variation in the old and the new bill is that the old one was more like a trap,” he stated.

“Opponents Weaponized the Lapses”

According to Kwarteng, critics of the original bill exploited its weaknesses to discredit it both locally and internationally.

He pointed to provisions that suggested professionals such as doctors and lawyers could face prosecution for assisting persons identified as LGBTQ+, a clause he acknowledged raised legitimate concerns.

“If the old one was proper as NDC claimed in opposition, why then have they amended it?” he questioned.

Kwarteng maintained that the revised legislation has significantly narrowed its scope, arguing that it now focuses largely on criminalizing sodomy while abandoning several controversial provisions contained in the original draft.

According to him, the new bill no longer seeks to punish lecturers, publishers, broadcasters, media practitioners, and other individuals for advocating or portraying LGBTQ+ issues.

“This bill bans only one act of sodomy,” he said.

The NPP communicator alleged that the amendments were made to appease foreign donors and international partners who had expressed concerns about the original legislation.

“They have watered down the impact of the bill to please their international donors,” Kwarteng claimed.

He further questioned why the sponsors of the legislation had reversed course despite remaining the same individuals who championed the earlier version.

“The sponsors of the bill have not changed, so why the U-turn now to amend?” he asked.

Kwarteng concluded by dismissing the revised bill as lacking meaningful impact, accusing the governing NDC of using the legislation as a political tool.

“There is nothing in this new bill, it’s an empty law. All the NDC is doing is for propaganda value,” he said.

He further argued that the changes expose what he described as inconsistencies in the position of the bill’s proponents, insisting that the original version should be revisited to highlight what he called their “hypocrisy and double standards.”

The comments add to the growing debate surrounding the proposed legislation, which continues to generate strong opinions from political actors, religious groups, civil society organizations, and international stakeholders.