Samuel Narjtey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, has reaffirmed his steadfast commitment to securing the passage of the anti-LGBTQI bill.
The lawmaker asserted that his constituents have granted him a renewed mandate specifically to ensure the legislation’s successful enactment.
These remarks were delivered on Thursday, 23 April 2026, during a stakeholder engagement organised by Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee for the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill.
The MP explained that his return to Parliament was motivated by what he described as “unfinished business”.
He told the committee, “The chiefs and people have returned me to the 9th Parliament because they believed I had unfinished business from the 8th Parliament, which was the passage of this bill. And so I indicated that I was going to reintroduce the bill.” Since its reintroduction, the bill has been progressing through the necessary parliamentary channels under the guidance of George and his co-sponsors.
Highlighting the extensive scrutiny the proposed legislation has already faced, George noted that the provisions were examined by parliamentary committees and plenary sessions for over two and a half years. He emphasised the rigour of the previous term by stating, “We went through the mill to pass this bill.”
He further recalled the significant moment on 28 February 2024, when the bill was previously passed by the House without opposition, noting, “On the 28th of February 2024, Parliament unanimously, without any exceptions, passed this bill.”
Drawing comparisons to other nations on the continent, the lawmaker pointed out that several neighbours have already implemented similar measures.
“Since Ghana started working on our bill in 2021, Uganda has replicated our bill and passed it. Senegal has done the same and even reviewed its stance to increase the sanctions,” he stated, adding that “it has not brought any economic sanctions on any of those countries.”
While George expressed a desire for expediency, he maintained that the sponsors would strictly adhere to every phase of the private member’s bill process to ensure its legal resilience. He noted that in 2024, the bill survived three separate court challenges due to the meticulous procedures Parliament followed.
Emphasising the need for procedural integrity, he concluded, “We do not want a situation where, after passage, someone goes to court on procedural grounds to say a committee of Parliament skipped a ground. Let us carry out the procedures expeditiously.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana