Anti-LGBTQ+ bill: You can't fault me for doing my job – Anyimadu Antwi to Muntaka

The Minority in Parliament had accused the Chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee has deliberately delayed the passage of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021.

He vehemently resisted the claim and explained that even though the passage of the Bill has been delayed, the Committee is still working on it in order to be brought before Parliament to ensure its passage.

Kwame Anyimadu Antwi noted that the Committee recently completed the public hearing on the proposed Bill and will proceed with the clause by clause consideration of the Bill and submit its report to the plenary.

“I am disappointed in the words that Honourable Muntaka is putting up there. He was the Chairman of the Health Committee and when a bill was referred to him, no leader interfered in his work…We had actually completed the public hearing, that is done.

“Now we would finish with the in-camera meeting and move to the clause by clause consideration of the Bill after which we would submit our report to the plenary… he would not fault me for doing my job correctly, he cannot fault me,” Kwame Anyimadu Antwi said on Joy FM's Top Story, Wednesday, June 8.

Responding to the Minority’s claim that the Committee has breached the three months deadline provided in Article 106 (14) and Standing Orders 136 for committees to work on a bill, the Asante-Akim Central MP said the Minority’s argument is inapt since the Bill was not introduced by the President.

“What he is saying, Honourable Muntaka is wrong. Article 106 (14) says a bill introduced in Parliament by or on behalf of the President shall not be delayed for more than three months in any committee of Parliament. Which President introduced this bill that he is talking about?

“I will act within the law…I will not be put under pressure and I cannot be forced to do what I am not supposed to do…we have to take our time to pass a law that will stand the test of time not what Honourable Muntaka wants to see, I will not succumb to his pressure,” Anyimadu Antwi said.

The NDC Minority in Parliament had threatened to block the introduction of any bill by the Executive if the Chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Kwame Ayimadu Antwi continues to delay the passage of the Anti-LGBT Bill.

Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip, said the Chairman of the Committee is deliberately delaying the passage of the Anti –LGBTQI Bill therefore, they [Minority] will continue to oppose any bill brought before the House by the Executive.

“I can assure that any other bill that will be introduced in the House, we shall resist it, even if it is to provide water, we will resist it,” said Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka.