8 MPs pushing for the anti-LGBTQ bill to be passed
Renowned activists and academics want Parliament to reject ‘undemocratic’ anti-LGBTQ+ Bill
Ranking Member on the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, has revealed that there will be a private hearing for the Rightful Ghana group in the next LGBTQ+ consideration in parliament.
This follows a request by the groups affiliated with the LGBTQ+ community for a closed-door meeting for the consideration Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill
This request according to them, is to protect its members.
Speaking to Joynews, Bernard Ahiafor said, “Once we are anxious to listen to everybody, whatever it takes to get information from the people – whether useful or not useful, we are in to do it. It is their right.
“Somebody may want to sit before the camera to give you the information. Somebody may not want to sit before the camera and give the information. At the end of the day, we want the information to help us do the law. If they want in-camera, why not, we will grant it to them. The Committee does not have any problem,” myjoyonline quoted.
The Ranking Member added that Rightful Ghana will be last group the Committee will meet with for the consideration of the LGBTQ Bill.
“After we have listened to the last group of people then we will have a committee meeting and then look at the road map. I believe clause by clause; it will not take us so long a time and we will be able to present our report to the plenary for discussion. It is possible for us to do that at this meeting,” he noted.
“I can assure you the clerks of the Committee are already writing their report. They will only integrate the clause-by-clause consideration and propose amendments coming from the committee,” he added.
On Thursday, March 10, Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee held its fourth public hearing over the LGBTQ+ Bill discussion.
A public hearing to consider memoranda on the Anti-Gay Bill began in November 2021.
The bill is dubbed, ‘Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021.”
Some of the groups that have appeared so far include, the Human Rights Coalition, Amnesty International, Advocates for Christ, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, and the AIDS Commission among others.
The Committee has so far received over 140 memoranda from civil society groups and religious organizations on the bil
Rightful Ghana group affiliated with the LGBTQ+ community to meet with Parliament committee