• Akufo-Addo is calling for civil dialogue on the matter
•Akufo-Addo says he is looking forward to the outcome of bill
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said the country’s democracy will be credited if issues surrounding the anti-LGBTQ+ bill before parliament are handled in a correct manner.
This he believes can be achieved if tolerance is exercised among the various parties dialoguing on the subject regardless of the opposing views.
“I think that it would be a credit to Ghanaian democracy if this matter is handled in the correct manner”, the president said. “What I would hope for is that the debate itself would be civil and that we will recognise the need for us to be tolerant of each other even when there are opposing views,” he added.
Speaking about the bill on Accra-based Peace FM on Thursday, 21 October 2021, the president said he is impressed private members are pushing for the Private member bill as they have been fighting for this so a long time.
“It’s in Parliament, it’s a private members’ bill – we’ve been fighting for a long time for the opportunity for private members to sponsor bills in parliament, I believe this is the first that is being sponsored under this opening that has been given –parliament is looking at it and let’s see how the process develops”.
He also said he is waiting to see the outcome of the bill adding that he doesn’t feel pressured about the bill.
“It’s in parliament, it’s a private members’ bill – we’ve been fighting for a long time for the opportunity for private members to sponsor bills in parliament, I believe this is the first that is being sponsored under this opening that has been given –parliament is looking at it and let’s see how the process develops”.
Background:
A team of 8 MPs led by Samuel Nartey George have jointly submitted a private bill to push for the criminalization of LGBTQI+ activities in the country. The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 was laid in the House on Monday, August 2 and read for the first time.
Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, subsequently referred the Bill to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Committee for consideration. He urged the public to submit memoranda on the bill
It is based on this a group of 18 renowned lawyers, academics and other professionals sent a memorandum to parliament for the bill to be thrashed, stating that it violates the fundamental human right guaranteed in the constitution.
Ghanaians have however, bashed them for their position against the bill but they have clarified that their call for the bill to be thrashed is based on the fact that it violates all the fundamental human rights in the constitution and not that they are in support of gayism and lesbianism.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo