The lead sponsor of Ghana’s controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, has sharply criticised the Ghana AIDS Commission for distributing lubricants to men who have sex with men (MSM), describing the practice as inconsistent with the Commission’s mandate to fight HIV/AIDS.
Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, made the remarks during ongoing clause-by-clause deliberations on the bill in Parliament.
“We have evidence of Ghana AIDS Commission officers meeting with pro-LGBTQ groups and giving them lubricants. If the Ghana AIDS Commission is supposed to fight HIV, why are you giving lubricants to men to have anal sex with men?” Mr George questioned.
He rejected the Commission’s reported explanation that the lubricants form part of a harm-reduction strategy aimed at preventing further HIV transmission among individuals already living with the virus. According to Mr George, such interventions only serve to encourage and perpetuate the very behaviour public health authorities claim to manage.
“And the excuse given is that these are people who already have HIV, and so they don’t want them to spread it. So they are giving them lubricants. That in itself is an activity that continues to perpetuate anal sex between men,” he stated.
The outspoken MP further argued that scarce public health resources should be redirected towards more pressing national healthcare priorities, particularly maternal health.
“If they really want to fund public health, they should go and give maternal beds for women who do not have beds for delivery. This one, we won’t open the door,” Mr George added emphatically.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, which seeks to criminalise same-sex sexual relations and related advocacy activities, is currently undergoing detailed scrutiny by Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs. The legislation has sparked intense national debate since its introduction.
Public health experts have in the past defended targeted interventions for high-risk groups as a standard component of comprehensive HIV prevention strategies. However, the Ghana AIDS Commission is yet to issue an official response to Mr George’s latest criticism.
The development comes as parliamentary debate on the bill continues to generate strong opinions from both supporters and opponents across the country.
Mr George’s comments are likely to further polarise discussions surrounding the bill and the broader question of how Ghana balances public health priorities with its cultural and legal stance on sexual rights and family values.
