President Akufo-Addo has reacted to the ongoing anti-LGBTQI+ bill brouhaha, and the call on him to break his silence on the matter.
Speaking on Peace Fm today, October 21, 2021, the President indicated that we have to await the outcome of the bill before Parliament.
He said the Private Members Bill is before Parliament, and Ghana as a country, had consistently fought over a way for us to have Private Members Bill on such issues.
When asked if He felt pressured following the ongoing discussions, he said no.
According to him, he cannot feel pressured, and people must be allowed to make their opinions on the matter.
The President said what he would hope for would be that the debate on the matter would be civil devoid of insults.
He admonished all parties involved to be tolerant of each other even they are opposing views.
He said he was personally impressed that some renowned personalities have come forward to express their views on the matter.
To him, it would credit to democracy if this matter is handled in the right manner.
He was also hopeful the several memoranda sent to parliament would be considered at the end of the day, the process would be conducted in a responsible manner.
Background
Professor Kofi Gyimah-Boadi, Dr. Rose Kutin-Mensah, Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Professor Kwame KariKari, Akoto Ampaw and Professor Raymond Atuguba are among the people who signed the memorandum to kick against the bill which is already in parliament awaiting debate and passage.
“The proposers of this far-reaching claim have not provided any data or evidence to suggest that there is such a threat, beyond a resort to some dogmatic religious tenets and so-called Ghanaian family values,” they argue to counter the views of the proponents of the Bill.
They went further to state that per Article 18 of the constitution, Ghana is “not a theocratic Christian or the Islamic Republic or an African traditional monarchy or chiefdom.”
“In other words, while it allows Christian, Islamic, African traditional and other religious beliefs and practices to exist in harmony with one another as fundamental rights, our Constitution rightfully forbids the imposition of a religious dogma, whether Christian or Islamic or traditional on Ghanaians,” part of the memorandum to Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs read.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana