By A.B. Kafui Kanyi
Accra, Feb. 29, GNA – Matthew Miller, US State Department Spokesperson, says the US is deeply troubled by Ghana’s Parliament’s passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.
He said the Bill would threaten all Ghanaians’ constitutionally protected freedoms of speech, press, and assembly.
“The Bill seeks to criminalise any person who simply identifies as LGBTQI+, as well as any friend, family, or member of the community who does not report them.
“Limiting the rights of one group in a society undermines the rights of all. The United States echoes the call by those Ghanaians who have urged a review of the constitutionality of the bill to protect the rights of all individuals in Ghana,” he said in a press release.
The Spokesperson said the Bill would also undermine Ghana’s valuable public health, media and civic spaces, and economy.
He said international business coalitions had already stated that such discrimination in Ghana would harm business and economic growth in the country.
“Ghana’s tradition of tolerance, peace, and respect for human rights is a source of stability and prosperity that has long served as a model for countries around the globe.
“This legislation is inconsistent with these values and will, if it becomes law, undermine this laudable tradition.”
Ghana’s Parliament on Wednesday, February 28, passed the “Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021.”
“Honourable Members, the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021 has been read for the third time and passed,” Mr Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament announced this on the Floor of the House.
The object of the Act is to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian Family Values proscribe Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) and its related activities.
The Bill proscribes LGBT activities and criminalises its promotion, advocacy and funding.
Persons caught in the act would be subjected to six-month to three-year jail term with promoters and sponsors of the act bearing a three to five-year jail term.
The Bill would now require Presidential assent to come into force.
Ahead of the passage, sponsors of the Bill filed a motion for further consideration of the Bill.
Mr Samuel Nartey George, the lead sponsor proposed that clauses 10 and 11 of the anti-LGBT which dealt with editorial policies of media firms be subjected to article 12 of the 1992 constitution, which provides for the freedom of the media.
The amendments were approved by the House as part of the Bill.
Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader, on his part also filed a motion for Clause 12 of the Bill, which deals with the funding of LGBT activities to be subjected to the constitution, but that was nullified by the House.
The passage of the Bill by Parliament comes a day after the Board Chair of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, called on President Akufo-Addo to reject the Bill, which was against the wishes of majority of the Ghanaian people.
Prof. Gadzekpo argued that “the bill undermines fundamental human rights protected by the Constitution, including the rights to dignity, freedom of speech and association, procession participation, academic freedom, equality, and non-discrimination.”
GNA