LGBTQ+ not inimical to society; no need to criminalize it – Inusah Fuseini

Former Tamale Central Member of Parliament Inusah Fuseini believes the anti-LGBTQI+ bill in its current form is retrogressive.

According to him, if nothing is done about the bill, it may go on to affect even people who are not involved in the act.

The former legislator made this known when he spoke to Bolgatanga-based Dreamz FM in an interview.

Indicating that there is no basis for criminalizing LGBTQI+, Inusah Fuseini argued that their activities are not inimical to society.

“The law, to be honest with you, is quite retrogressive. Yes, rights are not absolute but you must only limit those rights where the limitation of those rights is for the public good.

"The public good has been defined in the Constitution. So you cannot just say that because rights are not absolute, we are passing a law to restrict them, you will be sending us backwards. I have a lot of issues with the bill. We should not give the state and the police laws that they do not ask for.”

He added “Which Ghanaian family values (are they seeking to protect). What is Ghanaian family value? Is there a distinguished value which is Ghanaian family? That brings us back to the lack of clarity of the bill. What values are they talking about? It is not specific.”

Inusah Fuseini contends that passing that bill will give the state so much power to intrude into the private lives of citizens which should not be the case.

“The Constitution in Article 36 or so says that those rights there are not conclusive. That should tell you that rights evolve and so whereas today, you might be doing certain things which is not a right, tomorrow, it can be a right,” he argued forcefully.

Inusah Fuseini’s position comes on the back of 18 human rights defenders calling on Parliament not to criminalize LGBTQI+ activities in Ghana.

They contended that the bill seeking to criminalize LGBTQI and their related activities is an “impermissible invasion of the inviolability of human dignity” and upfront against the country’s Constitution and democracy.

But Sam George who led eight other Members of Parliament to present the bill before Parliament has indicated that no form of intimidation and attacks will stop him from seeing the passing of the bill indicating that “their personal agendas will not override the desire of the majority of the people”.