Parliament on Friday, December 8, commenced work on the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 also known as the anti LGBTQI+ Bill.
The Bill which is being taken through the consideration stage, is to be streamlined to resonate with existing Ghanaian laws.
Progress on the Bill had stalled for months, evoking the angst of its proponents who had accused some Members of Parliament of colluding with pro-LGBT campaigners to delay its passage.
In a fiery press conference, lead campaigner for the anti-LGBT Bill, Sam George, said “Those who have gone and gotten influenced by persons who have an interest in the LGBTQ should return whatever influence they have collected because we will fight, and the next time we address the media, I will mention names.”
Meanwhile, the Bill is being considered in the absence of the Chairman of the Constitution and Legal Affairs Committee.
Early on this week, a similar situation had led to the grounding of work on the Bill.
The Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Lydia Alhassan, had said that the Chairman of the Committee, who proposed the amendment in the bill was indisposed at the time and absent from the floor, hence the need to postpone work on the bill.
However, reacting to her statement, Sam George had said, “The excuse given today that the chairman of the committee is not in the chamber so we can’t take the amendments is alien to the practice of this house.”
The Bill which has generated a lot of attention locally and internationally, seeks to curb the acknowledgement and promotion of any rights of LGBTQI+ individuals or group.
ALSO READ: