The Christian Council has expressed support for President John Mahama’s decision to subject the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 — known as the anti-LGBTQ bill — to further legal and constitutional review before deciding whether to assent to it.

The president had indicated during a visit to the United Kingdom that the bill would undergo additional scrutiny to ensure it meets constitutional requirements before any final decision is made.

Speaking to Citi News, the Christian Council’s Coordinator for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, Rev Jehodia Godwin Amuzu, said the President is acting within his constitutional duties and should not be seen as opposing the bill.

He explained that legal review is necessary to ensure the bill is not later struck down in court.

“Now, the state being represented by the president, he also has to give the bill to his advisors for them to go through to be sure that the bill satisfies every constitutional requirement. Otherwise, anybody who goes to court can cause the bill to be struck out,” he said.

He urged patience, adding: “So, I think we should be patient. That is the course of democracy. Nobody can just give a fiat when the law does not permit that. So, let’s give the president the benefit of the doubt,” he added.

Rev Amuzu also said President Mahama previously assured religious leaders he would assent to the bill if it reached him, but believes the current review is to ensure legal soundness, especially since it is a private member’s bill:

“After all, in one of our encounters with him, he indicated that when the bill is brought to him, he will assent to it. What it means is that from the narrative, the impression we are getting at the Christian Council is that because it’s not a state-sponsored bill, they will scrutinise it to be sure that the bill is fit for purpose,” he explained.

The council also supported Speaker Alban Bagbin’s call for parts of the bill’s passage to be revisited, describing it as a positive democratic development.

Rev Amuzu said: “I think it’s healthy for democracy. We are not in an authoritarian regime. So, once we embrace democracy, we have to embrace other techniques of democracy.”