University of Ghana denies changes in statutes to admit LGBTQ+

The management of the University of Ghana (UG) has denied allegations that it has changed its statutes to admit gay and lesbian, also known as LGBTQ+, activities in the institution.

The University’s comment follows a publication report that attributes comments made by Mr Moses Foh-Amoaning during an interview on Onua FM’s “Yen Nsempa” programme.

In a blog post sighted by GhanaEducation.org, the University of Ghana said that the allegations made by Mr Foh-Amoaning published on news websites are entirely false, misleading and defamatory.

According to the Legon-based University, its recent review of its Statutes (2024) was conducted strictly in accordance with the governance procedures prescribed by national laws and University regulations.

The management indicated that the University of Ghana operates strictly within the legal and regulatory framework of the Republic of Ghana.

It also said the revised Statutes of the University do not depart from national law, nor do the statutes introduce any provision that endorses, promotes, or “admits” LGBT+ activities as alleged.

According to the UG management, the changes in the Statutes merely involved replacing gender specific pronouns such as “he”, “him”, “she” or “her” with gender- neutral terms such as “they” and “their”, and additional linguistic adjustments made to represent both male and female in order to eliminate the need to continuously state he or she/him or her etc. in the Statutes.

It further indicated that the revisions are consistent with developments in the English language over the past two decades, where the singular “they/their/them” has become widely accepted in reputable academic, legal and religious texts.

“For instance, the 2011 New International Version (NIV) of the Bible uses “they/them” to refer to a singular antecedent, as in James 4:17: “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them,” the management said in the statement dated November 24, 2025.

The University said it received a letter dated 24th October 2025, following an earlier correspondence in which the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values sought clarification on the University’s position regarding gender specific pronouns used in its Statutes.

“The Registrar, on behalf of the University, in a letter dated 10th November 2025, responded to the enquiry, explaining the University’s position, as stated in the points above,” UG noted.

The University has therefore demanded an immediate retraction of the false statements made by Mr. Foh-Amoaning and a public apology to the Vice-Chancellor and the University community.

“Failure to comply within a reasonable timeframe will leave the University with no option but to pursue appropriate legal remedies under Ghanaian law to protect the integrity of the institution and its leadership,” it stated.

The University has also called on GhanaWeb, Onua FM, and all media houses to exercise responsibility when reporting on sensitive institutional matters.

“The amplification of unverified claims does not serve the public interest and risks misleading the public. Media organisations are urged to verify information with the University’s Public Affairs Directorate before publication to avoid contributing to the spread of misinformation,” the University stated.

“The University of Ghana remains focused on its vision of achieving global impact through innovative research, teaching and learning. Management will not be distracted by unfounded allegations and reiterates its responsibility to transparency, ethical governance and strict adherence to the laws of the Republic of Ghana,” UG said.