Senior Partner & Co-founder of Africa Legal Associates, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has raised concerns over the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
The private legal practitioner argued that the bill fails to align with the needs of the Ghanaian populace and the fundamental rights of individuals.
He had therefore called for a public discourse to weigh the merits and drawbacks of the proposed legislation.
He expressed his opinion through a post he shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, March 1, 2024.
In his view, the bill will have repercussions for the country if enacted into law.
Parliament on February 28, 2024, passed the anti-gay bill criminalizing LGBTQ activities and prohibiting their promotion, advocacy, and funding.
Persons convicted of engaging in such acts could be sentenced to 6 months or 3 years in prison.
Those promoting or sponsoring such activities could also face 3 to 5 years behind bars.
The lawyer who is also a member of the NPP reacting to this said “Ghana’s parliament, which is vested in the sovereign will of the people, has democratically passed a harsher anti-LGBTQ Bill. Yes, democratically! In fact, the threat of being unseated for standing for the rights of gays, etc, certainly created its own culture of silence in the House! But, it is the decision of Parliament and one which enjoys huge popular support in the country. The world must understand that. But, Ghanaians must also understand that it comes with consequences. Choices have consequences.”
“We expect the media and the politicians to be fair to the people by letting them know the pros and cons of this decision to impose stiffer penalties against gays, etc. We also expect those who believe the bill is constitutionally wrong to do what is right and go to court.”
“That is democracy! Our institutions of democracy are still strong and alive. Let’s have faith in our democracy. Let’s respect the choices we make and their consequences, and believe in the process. Ghana remains a sovereign state, with cultural norms that cannot be wished away but must be respected. I still believe, though, that we can balance our traditional family values with our traditional values of tolerance and diversity. That’s the Ghanaian way. The Ghanaian culture. The Ghanaian spirit. Our history. Our DNA. That is Ghanaian,” he posted.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
