Anti-LGBT+Bill may be debated when Parliament resumes from recess – Sam George
The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George says he is hopeful that a debate on the report on the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 would take place when Parliament resumes from recess.
This comes after the Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee laid its report on the Anti-LGBT bill before the house on Thursday, March 30.
Speaking to Citi News, Sam George expressed his delight at the move.
“It’s been 20 to 21 months of hard work, it’s exciting to see the report of the committee finally laid. So you can confidently say the first stage has come to an end. And most importantly the fact that the committee recommends to the house that the bill should be passed, subject to amendments means that it has been agreed between sponsors and the committee. I think that we are in a good place,” Sam George noted.
The Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on March 30, laid before Parliament the report on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and the Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021.
The bill seeks to criminalize LGBTQ activities by establishing proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values, outlawing LGBT-related activities, and protecting and supporting children.
The private members’ bill is being championed by eight members of Parliament, led by Ningo-Prampram MP, Samuel Nartey George.
He says if the President fails to assent to the bill, two-thirds of the members of Parliament can vote in favour of the bill to be passed into law.
Among other things, the Bill proposes jail term for people who engage in same sex.
If the Bill becomes law, various forms of support for the LGBTQ+ community will also be criminalized.
While data indicates that most Ghanaians are in favour of the Bill, it has faced criticism from renowned artists and academics.
It has, however, generated some widespread conversation, with many expressing varied views about some clauses in the document.
source: citinews
