The Minister of Communications Sam George has spoken out strongly against a South African gay couple who recently posted photos at prominent national landmarks, which he claims constitute an “abhorrent disrespect” to Ghana’s culture and values.
The couple, who have not yet been publicly identified, appeared in a series of viral photos taken at what Mr. George described as “national symbols,” sparking outrage among some Ghanaians on social media.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr. George called the couple “useless individuals” and accused them of intentionally provoking controversy with their presence and behavior at heritage sites.
“The disrespect of our national symbols is despicable to say the least,” George wrote. “Law enforcement must identify the two miscreants in the viral photos and apply the full rigours of existing laws on them.”
The Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations also used the incident to renew his criticism of former President Nana Akufo-Addo for failing to assent to the controversial Family Values Bill, a piece of legislation seeking to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana. According to George, the failure to enact the bill has enabled what he calls the erosion of Ghanaian moral values.
“We are where we are today without a strict legislation on these ills because former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo failed and blatantly refused to sign the Family Values Bill into law,” he stated.
“I would demand that President John Dramani Mahama sign the Bill when we get it passed again. My position has NOT changed.”
George revealed that he and his colleagues in Parliament have re-submitted the Family Values Bill and that it has been approved for a first reading by the Speaker. The bill, if passed, would enforce wide-ranging restrictions on LGBTQ+ expression and advocacy in Ghana.
The MP made the remarks shortly after returning from the Volta Region, where he attended a government event related to the #GirlsInICT initiative. He appeared to respond directly to critics from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), whom he accused of hypocrisy for questioning his silence on the issue prior to his statement.
“You defended the immoral stance of President Akufo-Addo then and today you want to pontificate? How dare you!” he said.
The incident has once again reignited debate in Ghana over LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of expression, and cultural preservation. While some citizens online have supported George’s statements, others have criticized the language used and questioned the prioritization of such issues over economic and governance concerns.
At the time of reporting, Ghanaian authorities had not announced any action related to the South African couple featured in the viral photos.
See the Post below;
I have just returned to Accra from Ho in the Volta Region where I attended the climax of our successful #GirlsInICT program.
I have seen numerous tags and posts about the abhorrent disrespect of our culture and values by two 'useless' individuals. The disrespect of our national…
— Sam 'Dzata' George 🦁🇬🇭 (@samgeorgegh) June 25, 2025
