The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill has received strong bipartisan backing in Parliament, with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle urging for its swift adoption to safeguard the nation’s cultural and family structures.
The legislation, which seeks to criminalize LGBTQ activities, advocacy, and related funding in Ghana, was reintroduced in the current Parliament after the previous version was not assented to before that parliamentary term ended.
Speaking during the Second Reading of the bill on the floor of Parliament, the Member of Parliament for Bosome Freho, Hon Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, urged the House to pass the anti-LGBTQ bill immediately under a certificate of urgency.
He commended the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee for presenting the bill and praised its sponsors for their resilience.
“I commend the sponsors for the resilience. This bill is a national bill. It is the bill that many Ghanaians have supported,” he told the House.
Hon Ayeh argued that the bill was a key campaign issue for MPs and gave religious leaders grounds to criticize the previous administration. He noted that while there was prior confusion over whether the last Parliament transmitted the bill to the presidency for assent, the process is now clear.
Arguing that the House has both the numbers and public backing to act swiftly, he noted that the only point of difference between the sides is the pace of passage.
“We have a welcoming majority that can even take a day to pass this bill,” he said. “Just like we passed the Gold Board bill, just like we did the E-Levy bill with a certificate of urgency, it is important that we add some urgency to this LGBTQ bill so that we can pass it today, if possible, for the President to assent to it tomorrow.”
The Bosome Freho legislator maintained that there is bipartisan agreement on the substance of the bill, citing broad religious support from groups like the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Pentecost, the clergy, and charismatic churches.
“The minority is saying that the speed should be much more accelerated so that we can pass this bill today. We are ready to sit and go through it clause by clause now. We don’t want to defer this bill for any day,” he said, adding, “We can stay overnight just like we stayed overnight for the Gold Board bill. You have the numbers, the overwhelming numbers, to pass the bill now.”
Aligning with the call to advance the legislation, the Member of Parliament for Odododiodioo, Hon Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, also endorsed the bill, arguing that it has drawn significant public interest and is deeply tied to the nation’s identity.
“Mister Speaker, I stand to contribute to the motion for the adoption of the report of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024,” he told the House. “This bill has the hearts of Ghanaians following. This bill has been an eye opener, very educative, and has gotten our traditional authorities, religious authorities and Ghanaians at large shown utmost interest.”
Hon Ashie highlighted that the report frames the bill’s objective as protecting Ghanaian cultural values, family structures, and public morality—grounds recognized for limitations under Article 19(3) of the Constitution. He further clarified that the bill does not seek to criminalize individuals based on identity, noting concerns from the Committee’s report about criminalizing consensual intimacy, expression, association, peaceful assembly, or access to health, education, and social services.
Referring to Clause 6 of the report, the Odododiodioo MP highlighted specific provisions for exemptions relating to biological conditions, pointing to cases of intersex persons born with chromosomal variations such as XXY and XO, or hormonal imbalances.
“Ghana is a serious country which today is enviably leading campaigns towards pan-Africanism and therefore it is important that we as a country take a stand towards our sovereignty and sanctity,” Hon Ashie stated.
Urging the House to adopt the Committee’s report and move the legislation forward, Hon Ashie emphasized the weight of the moment for the citizenry.
“Mister Speaker, this is a bill that Ghanaians are looking up to, that the entire nation is watching,” he said. “It is my prayer that we adopt this bill and work on it from there.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
