Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, USA, has abruptly cancelled the planned visit of President John Dramani Mahama and the conferment of an honorary doctorate on him, just two days before the scheduled ceremony.
The university cited “unforeseen circumstances” in a brief notice posted on its website, announcing the cancellation of the President’s visit originally set for Thursday, March 26, 2026.
The development was confirmed by the Ghana Embassy in Washington D.C. in a statement on Tuesday, which revealed that the cancellation was on the back of concerns raised by a group over President Mahama’s perceived stance on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently before Parliament.
“It is both surprising and regrettable that, just hours ago, the Embassy received a communication from the University indicating that concerns had been raised by a group regarding President Mahama’s perceived position on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill,” the Embassy statement read.
According to the Embassy, all logistical arrangements for the visit had been finalised, including a full walkthrough of the venue conducted by Embassy officials and university representatives the previous week.
The honorary doctorate was intended to recognise President Mahama’s contributions to public service, democratic governance, and global advocacy for justice, equality, and reparations — values that Lincoln University publicly champions.
The university’s Pan-Africana Studies Chair, Associate Professor Gnaka Lagoke, had earlier described the planned conferral as a powerful symbol, noting that President Mahama “carries the Kwame Nkrumah mandate.” Ghana’s founding President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was an alumnus of Lincoln University.
President Mahama is currently in New York, where he is expected to address the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, to present a landmark resolution on behalf of the African Union seeking global recognition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade as a crime against humanity.