Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, has rejected claims that his continued advocacy for the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was motivated by political gain.
The outspoken MP insisted that his position on the bill is grounded in principle and personal conviction, not opportunism.
Hon. George strongly dismissed assertions that his motives were politically calculated.
“That will be unfair! My actions speak to the contrary. If it was for political expediency, I would’ve hidden behind the president’s words and waited for the president to take action”
Hon. Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo-Prampram
His response comes amid growing public and political scrutiny over the progress of the bill in Parliament, particularly as debates over LGBTQ+ rights and cultural identity continue to polarize opinions in the country.
With President John Dramani Mahama now at the helm, expectations remain high for legislative clarity on a subject that has stirred both domestic passion and international attention.
Hon. George acknowledged that progress has been slowed since the bill was reintroduced about four weeks ago, but said this should be expected given the procedural changes in the 9th Parliament following the 2024 general elections.
“Well, like I said, it’s been about four weeks since we submitted the bill. I walked about almost twenty-three months the first time before we began to see the movement on the floor of the House and so at least let’s give ourselves some time here”
Hon. Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo-Prampram
He stressed that committee structures were only recently reconstituted, which had delayed initial parliamentary attention to the bill.
“We only had our committee leadership determined about two weeks ago, so committees are now actually being set up in Parliament. The committees are now coming to terms with what [is] before them, so let’s allow them to be formed properly”
Hon. Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo-Prampram
Hon. George argued that it would have been premature to apply pressure before committee chairs and members were appointed just because a new government was in. However, he noted that with that now done, he hinted that more active advocacy for the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill would soon follow.
Cross-Party Dynamics
Interestingly the bill has seen broader support across party lines this time around, with Hon. George revealing that members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who had previously declined association, have now endorsed it.
“That is why at times I don’t want to call it politics of convenience – interestingly, persons who didn’t want to have their names on the bill from the NPP side four years ago have jumped on it now and put down their names”
Hon. Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo-Prampram
He noted that the current list of sponsors reflects a near-equal distribution between NDC and NPP MPs on the committee, which he believes signals political maneuvering rather than national consensus on their part.
Their motion is so unlike his, as he has remained committed to the advocacy for the bill, even now when it is his government that sits in power.
“I’ve stuck to my guns, stuck to my principles again and my morals and shown that I’m a man of my words,” Hon. George said, reinforcing his point that the bill is a reflection of his personal values rather than political calculus.
Hon. Sam George further affirmed that there will be another demonstration similar to the one he led in 2024 if needed.
“If I need to do a demo against the Chief Justice, if it goes to court – don’t forget, the demo I did in 2024 was against the Chief Justice, it wasn’t against Parliament and it was for the delay in procedures – then yes”
Hon. Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo-Prampram
Mining Law and Galamsey Debate
Delving into the mining narrative, George expressed strong disapproval of the continued existence of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which regulates mining in forest reserves.
Despite the public outcry, the law remains only amended by the new government, his government, even though it promised complete abolishment of the law during the 2024 campaign.
“It should go in its entirety. It should be repealed in its entirety,” Hon. George stated, asserting that the current legal framework enables activities he considers destructive and unjustifiable. He reiterated his longstanding position on illegal mining.
“I still hold the view that Galamsey is a crime against humanity and irrespective of which political party is in government, whether it is the NDC or the NPP, and irrespective of who it is that is engaged in Galamsey, it is illegal and must be dealt with holistically”
Hon. Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo-Prampram
George’s comments reflect a politician determined to walk the difficult line between principle and politics, as he seeks to influence national policy while facing intense scrutiny over his methods and motivations.
