Minority Leader distances himself from viral LGBTQ post, says account was compromised

Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, has vehemently denied responsibility for a social media post that appeared to criticize Ghana's Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025. He claims his Facebook account was compromised, leading to the dissemination of a statement that publicly opposed the controversial legislation, widely known as the anti-gay bill.

The post, which circulated widely on June 2, 2026, quoted Afenyo-Markin as stating, "A law that imprisons people for their sexual orientation or who they choose to love does not protect society. It simply selects a group of human beings and makes their existence a crime. That is a line no Parliament in the civilised world should cross." These comments ignited significant online discussion amid the ongoing debate surrounding the bill's passage.

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Kindly disregard this post. Account was compromised.

However, shortly after the post was removed, a new message appeared on Afenyo-Markin's Facebook page stating, "Kindly disregard this post. Account was compromised." This statement came after Parliament passed the bill on May 29, 2026. The legislation aims to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana, though it includes exemptions for legal practitioners, journalists, media organizations, and medical professionals performing their duties.

The bill's journey through Parliament was contentious. The Minority had previously expressed strong opposition, threatening to withdraw support due to alleged "smuggled amendments" that exempted certain professionals. The Majority defended these exemptions as necessary to align the bill with the constitution, particularly concerning medical professionals providing care, journalists reporting on LGBTQ+ issues, lawyers representing clients, and academics conducting research. Following the bill's passage, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga indicated that President John Dramani Mahama would assent to the bill upon his return from overseas, despite continued intense public debate from both supporters and critics.

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A law that imprisons people for their sexual orientation or who they choose to love does not protect society. It simply selects a group of human beings and makes their existence a crime. That is a line no Parliament in the civilised world should cross.