Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has warned persons threatening MPs over an anti-LGBTQ+ bill
• He specifically mentioned diplomats who he cautioned to desist from trying to teach Ghanaians how to live their lives
• Bagbin says the bill will be passed soon because it had the support of all Ghanaians
Speaker of ParliamentAlban Bagbin has stressed that come what may, a bill seeking to criminalize same-sex relationships and its associated variants will be passed into law.
During a meeting in Parliament with a cross-section of Christian leaders, Bagbin warned that whiles the house will not threaten anyone for their beliefs, it will also not sit by to be threatened.
“We will not threaten anybody but we shall also not be threatened. Those threatening Members of Parliament who are leading this bill, please be warned.
“We cannot be threatened in our homes, this must be stated loud and clear to those who have come to do business in Ghana. Those who represent their countries and think that they are right, we also represent our country,” he added.
According to him, the bill had the united voice of all Ghanaians who the house represents and it will be passed into law ‘as soon as possible.’
“And they (diplomats) will never, they can never dictate to us as to how to live or not live in this world. And I am very clear in my mind that this house, the parliament of Ghana will pass this bill as soon as possible,” the speaker stressed.
In April 2021, Bagbin had cause to state emphatically during a meeting with the Australian ambassador that Ghana will enact laws to preserve her norms and culture. Ambassador Gregory Andrews and the EU representative in Ghana were present at the opening of an LGBTQ+ facility in Accra which has since been shut down.
“Our laws abhors any forms of discrimination. We also have the decision of the European Court on Human Rights to guide us in whatever we do…and so on the issue of LGBTQI+ definitely we already have a legal framework within which to work. We will not legislate to infringe on the Human Rights of people, but we will legislate to ensure that culture and traditions are not violated.
“This is something that we see as an abomination, it is something that we abhor and therefore, we will continue to go according to our culture,” Bagbin said at the time.
The 36-page draft document is a Private Member’s Bill titled: “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, Bill 2021.”
It is led by the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George, and seven (7) other MPs.
Currently, it is at the draft stage and will be laid before the house and subsequently expected to be referred to the appropriate committee for consideration.
Sam George spent the better part of Saturday (July 23) on social media defending the need for the bill which he insists is a necessity in preserving the moral and cultural values of Ghanaians in general.
