The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has asked the Committee working on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill also known as the anti-LGBT Bill to expedite works in presenting its report to the house for a debate.
The Minority had accused the Committee of deliberately delaying work on the bill and threatened to block the passage of government Bills if the anti-gay Bill was not worked on speedily.
In his opening remarks on Tuesday, Alban Bagbin said the bill is ‘causing global waves’ hence the need to bring finality to the matter.
“We are also expecting the report on the Bill on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values. That is also a priority Bill causing global waves. We need that looked at to bring finality to the issue. The house remains expectant of the various committees of these bills sooner than later”, the Speaker said.
While data indicates that most Ghanaians are in favour of the Bill, it has faced criticism from renowned artists and academics.
The Bill prescribes that people of the same sex who engage in sexual activity could spend up to 10 years in jail.
Varying forms of support for the LGBTQ+ community will also be criminalized if the bill is passed into law.
It has, however, generated some widespread conversation, with many expressing varied views about some clauses in the document.
But following the heated conversations amidst pressure on Parliament to pass the bill, there have been speculations that MPs who support the bill may be denied some privileges from members of the international community.
Many persons and institutions have filed memoranda in support of the bill and to help fine-tune it.
A number of renowned legal, academic and civil society professionals have also filed documents challenging the legislation.
In the memorandum, they contend that the Bill is an “impermissible invasion of the inviolability of human dignity.”
They further argued that pushing through the Bill will be to challenge Ghana’s constitution and democracy.
Careful balance
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also assured that Parliament would not be pressured by international relations to go against Ghana’s interests.
He cited Article 40 (a) of Ghana’s constitution as “the driving principle that should underpin our international relations.”
“In its dealings with other nations, the government shall promote and protect the interests of Ghana,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu quoted from the constitution.
