Ghana News
Mahama Deflects Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Question in London, Fueling Speculations He ‘Will Not Sign’
President John Dramani Mahama has given fresh credence to speculation that he may refuse to sign Ghana’s controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law.
This is after he conspicuously deflected a direct question on the legislation during a diaspora town hall in London. A prominent Ghanaian transgender activist has already declared with confidence that the president “will not sign this useless bill.”
The dual developments, coming just days after Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill on May 29, 2026, have intensified debate over whether the legislation will ever take effect.
In London: A Question Asked, A Question Avoided
During a marathon town hall meeting with Ghanaian residents in the UK on Sunday evening, May 31, 2026. President Mahama took dozens of questions on the economy, infrastructure, mining, and diaspora voting rights. But when one attendee, an elderly Ghanaian man, asked directly why Ghana needed the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, the president’s response was striking in its absence.
The questioner, who identified himself as a retired community activist, pointedly asked: “Everywhere you go from now… the LGBTQ bill and why we needed it.”
Mahama did not offer a substantive answer.
The moderator quickly moved on, and the president did not return to the issue for the remainder of the nearly two-hour event.
For diaspora attendees and observers, the moment spoke volumes. A president who had just spent an hour delivering detailed statistics on economic recovery, energy sector debt, and road infrastructure had no reply—or chose not to give one—on one of the most consequential pieces of social legislation in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
Political analysts suggest the deflection may signal discomfort with the bill rather than endorsement.
In Accra: ‘Mahama Will Not Sign This Useless Bill’
Adding fuel to the speculation, popular Ghanaian transgender activist Angel Maxine released a video on social media expressing absolute confidence that the president will reject the legislation.
“President Mahama will not sign this useless bill into law,” Angel Maxine said. “The politicians just passed the bill because they want to score some cheap political points. The reality is that it will not be signed into law.”
The activist urged members of the LGBTQI+ community not to be afraid but to take precautions to protect themselves, suggesting that the bill’s passage was political theatre rather than a genuine legislative threat.
A Bill That Has Divided the Nation
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill criminalises LGBTQ+ identification, advocacy, and the funding or sponsorship of related activities, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison. However, the final version passed by Parliament includes controversial exemptions for legal professionals, journalists, and medical workers.
The Minority Caucus opposed these exemptions, arguing they exposed flaws in the original bill. Despite their objections, the majority pushed the legislation through.
The bill now sits on President Mahama’s desk, awaiting either his signature—which would make it law—or a refusal to assent, which would send it back to Parliament or effectively kill it.
International Pressure Mounts
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and UNAIDS have all condemned the bill, urging Mahama to reject it. They warn that the legislation would endanger LGBTQ+ lives, violate constitutional rights, and harm public health efforts, particularly HIV/AIDS prevention.
Domestically, however, conservative and religious groups are pressing for swift enactment, framing the bill as a defence of Ghanaian family values and cultural sovereignty.
What Mahama’s Silence Means
The president has not yet issued any public statement indicating his intention. His campaign promises on human rights were moderate, and he has historically avoided culture-war rhetoric.
But his refusal to defend or even address the bill in London—before an audience of diaspora Ghanaians who contribute nearly $8 billion annually in remittances—has not gone unnoticed.
Some see political calculation: signing the bill could alienate Western partners and risk foreign investment. Rejecting it could anger the conservative base that largely supports the legislation.
Angel Maxine believes the president has already made up his mind.
“President Mahama will not sign this useless bill into law,” the activist repeated. “The reality is that it will not be signed.”
What Happens Next?
For now, the bill remains in limbo. The president has not disclosed a timeline for his decision. But between the deflection in London and the bold prediction from Accra, speculation is hardening into belief among some LGBTQI+ advocates: Mahama may let the bill die by refusing to sign it.
If he does, it would mark a quiet end to a legislative battle that has divided Ghana and drawn international condemnation. If he signs, he will face immediate backlash from human rights organisations and Western governments.
The president’s pen remains suspended. But his silence, for many, is already speaking.
In a decisive move to fulfill President John Dramani Mahama’s digital transformation agenda, the government has successfully pressured the nation’s leading telecommunications operators into slashing broadband prices and increasing data allocations, marking a major political and policy victory for the administration.
Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, announced the sweeping changes during the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, framing the outcome as a direct result of the government’s successful negotiation tactics and strong-arm leverage over the telecom sector.
The Minister revealed that MTN, facing the sharpest government intervention, increased its mobile data volumes by 15 per cent, while Telecel and AirtelTigo also bowed to pressure, increasing theirs by 10 per cent.
Most notably, MTN’s fibre broadband tariffs have been dramatically revised. The 100 Mbps unlimited package has been slashed from GH¢987 to GH¢299 per month, representing one of the largest residential broadband price reductions in recent years and a massive 70% drop in cost for consumers.
Presenting the reductions as a fulfillment of the Mahama administration’s core policy promises, Minister George emphasized that the interventions are part of a broader mission to force the private sector to align with the government’s public interest goals.
“These interventions form part of President Mahama’s digital transformation agenda to make internet access more affordable and expand opportunities for education, business and innovation,” Mr George stated.
He added that the government’s objective is to ensure that digital connectivity becomes a tool for inclusive economic growth rather than a luxury available to only a few, directly warning the telecom giants that the state will not tolerate the exclusion of ordinary Ghanaians from the digital economy.
The Minister assured Ghanaians that his Ministry will continue to exert regulatory and negotiating pressure to improve digital infrastructure, expand access to reliable, high-speed internet, and ensure that the government remains the ultimate arbiter of affordability for the citizenry.
Ghana News
Buckingham Palace Responds to Jamaica’s $10 Billion Reparations Demand, But the UK Government’s Wallet Remains Shut
A historic diplomatic maneuver that highlights the stark contrast between UK’s royal sympathy and governmental policy has been triggered by Jamaica’s official petition to King Charles III on Monday, September 7, 2026.
The petition formally requests that the UK’s highest court review the legality of the transatlantic slave trade and whether Britain has a legal obligation to pay reparations.
However, while Buckingham Palace has pledged its engagement with the process, the United Kingdom government immediately reiterated its firm position that its “wallet remains shut”.
Led by Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, the delegation filed the petition in London, marking the first time a Commonwealth country has utilized this specific legal route to advance the cause of reparatory justice.
The petition seeks an advisory opinion from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC), Jamaica’s highest court of appeal based in London, on three pivotal questions: whether the enslavement of Africans in Jamaica was legal under English common law, whether it breached international law, and whether the UK is currently legally obligated to provide a remedy for the harm caused.
While initial reports suggested Jamaica was seeking a $10 billion settlement, Minister Grange clarified to journalists that no specific sum is attached to the petition; instead, it aims to establish a legal foundation for determining what, if anything, is owed.
The Royal Response
The response from Buckingham Palace was characterized by procedural engagement coupled with royal distance. Contrary to some initial headlines, King Charles III—who is currently in Scotland and was not present for the delivery—will not personally receive the petition.
A palace spokesperson clarified that the process requires the petition to be lodged directly with the Judicial Committee under Section 4 of the 1833 Act, rather than being handed to the King.
The spokesperson emphasized that the King has “on many occasions expressed his personal and wholehearted commitment to promoting greater understanding around the issue of slavery and finding ways to address historic wrongs for the benefit of communities today”.
The Palace also confirmed that the Jamaican representatives would be received by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for bilateral discussions.
The Government’s Hardline Stance
While the Palace signaled engagement, the response from the British government was unequivocal and immediate. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s Downing Street office stated, “The UK does not and will not pay reparations”.
The spokesperson added, “The transatlantic slave trade was abhorrent and of course it’s right that we acknowledge the wrongs of the past, but we’ll continue to face forward and work with other countries on our current shared challenges”.
This stance remains unchanged despite recent acknowledgements that the UK significantly benefitted from the trade, and the fact that British institutions, such as the Church of England, have previously pledged funds to address their historical links.
A Historical Irony
The refusal comes against a backdrop of historical precedent that critics and advocates often highlight. In 1833, the British government agreed to a compensation package of £20 million (worth approximately $2.6 billion today) to be paid to British slave owners for the “loss of their property” after the abolition of slavery legislation.
“Encouraged” but Firm
Despite the government’s refusal to entertain financial compensation, Minister Grange expressed optimism about the engagement from Buckingham Palace.
“We’re not pre-empting the process, but we are encouraged,” she told Reuters, noting the Palace’s role in ensuring the petition was properly lodged through the Governor-General.
The move is seen as a significant escalation in the wider Caribbean reparations campaign. By seeking a legal opinion, Jamaica aims to bypass the political impasse that has blocked progress at Commonwealth summits.
If the JCPC rules in Jamaica’s favor, it could provide a powerful legal platform not only for Jamaica but for other former British colonies in the Caribbean demanding reparations, potentially paving the way for litigation in British courts.
Here are the top headline stories pulled from the front pages of the provided Ghanaian newspapers.
The Dispatch
- Main: GHANA MUST KEEP TWO TERM PREZ LIMITS – ASIEDU NKETIA
- Secondary: IGP YOHUNO PROMOTES SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARRESTED SUSPECTS IN CONNECTION WITH MURDER
- Also: MY JOURNEY FROM RUNNING MATE TO FORMER VEEP IS BY GOD’S DIVINE WILL – DR. BAWUMIA; BLACK STARS COACH QUEIROS TO STAY; REV. STEPHEN WENGAM LAUNCHES THE 10TH TRIENNIAL CONGRESS…
The Hawk Newspaper
- Main: MAHAMA DUMPS ASHIE MOORE (Over ‘Incompetence’ At Sankofa Gold)
- Secondary: FORMER CDS OFFERS BOOZ AND CASH TO KILL STORY; MAHAMA, OPEN YOUR EYES! – Obiri Boahen’s Chilling Warning: NPP ‘Mulling Evil’; SILENT THEN. OUTRAGED NOW – Anin-Yeboah’s Praise Exposes Critics’ Double Standards
The Overseer
- Main: MAHAMA SACKS NDC ‘SERIAL TROUBLEMAKER’ ASHIE-MOORE FROM SANKOFA GOLD
- Secondary: Free Primary Healthcare To Reach All 216 Districts By 2027 – Akandoh; Mahama Has Mobilized $1.7bn For Accra-Kumasi Expressway – Tamakloe; Ato Forson Thanks Constituents For 18 Years Of Support
The New Trust
- Main: Over 300k candidates chose category A schools despite 76,417 vacancies – Education Ministry
- Secondary: Ashanti NPP Women’s Wing cautions “Prophet” Owusu Bempah over attacks on Ayew Afriyie & Bawumia; Govt spent GH¢49.7m on 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from SA – Ablakwa reveals; COKA swears in appointed deputy regional executives & others…urges them to work hard in unity
The National Enquirer
- Main: DON’T PAY ANYONE FOR SHS PLACEMENT – Dr. Apaak warns parents
- Secondary: National Security Nabs Notorious Illicit Drugs Pusher; TOR Seeks Strategic Int’l Partners; Minerals Commission Pushes Deeper Ghana-UK Mining Cooperation; NPA Gears Up – Takes petroleum safety campaign to Fetu Afahye in Cape Coast
The Spyder
- Main: Ayariga’s Cathedral Slip-Up: Chieftaincy Minister Tenure Starts on Wrong Footing
- Secondary: Controversial ‘Witches Conference’ Set for Accra; Former Army Boss’ Cash-And-Booze Trap Fails – Oppong-Peprah’s Journalist Trap Lands Him in Trouble; Do the Math: Students are Getting Smarter in Numbers, Dumber in Words – WAEC
Daily Graphic
- Main: Free Primary Healthcare goes live (Over 4,500 facilities ready • 135 Districts implement policy)
- Secondary: 53,000 Grade 9 BECE graduates given lifeline – They can do self-placement; Amansie Community Bank mobilises GH¢1bn deposits – Highest in Ashanti Region for 2025
Economy Times
- Main: BoG develops regulatory framework for cedi-backed stablecoins
- Secondary: Ghana’s 4-Year Bond issuance settles at 12% – …govt accepts bids of GH¢3.15 billion; Cedi turnaround delivers GH¢23.7bn FX upswing for SOEs
Day Break (Dated September 2, 2026)
- Main: Mahama Sued – …Over Council of State Vacancy
- Secondary: 1 In 4 Fibre Cuts By Galamsey – …Sam George Reveals; Be Like Zijin! – …Armah Buah Charges Ghanaian Mining Companies; Galamsey To Worsen – …Without Right Intelligence Architecture
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