The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, has criticised the Ghana AIDS Commission over the distribution of lubricants to men who have sex with men.
Speaking during deliberations on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, on Friday, April 23, Mr George argued that such resources should rather be directed toward improving maternal healthcare.
The lead sponsor of the bill questioned the rationale behind the Commission’s approach, suggesting it contradicts its mandate to fight HIV.
“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?” he said.
He said the justification that the materials are meant to prevent the spread of HIV among affected persons is not acceptable.
“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.
Mr George insisted that public health funding should be channelled into other critical areas, particularly maternal healthcare.
“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,” he added.