Sponsors of the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2021 are calling on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to uphold his prior commitments regarding LGBTQ+ issues in the country.
The call follows parliament unanimously passing the bill on Wednesday 28th February 2024.
Samuel Nartey George, a lead sponsor of the bill emphasized the President’s previous statements to the Anglican Church in the Eastern Region and his assurances to the clergy.
“The president should be a man and stick to the words he spoke… and the assurances he gave to members of the clergy he was going to ensure that anything that promoted LGBTQ+ will be dealt with,” Sam George stated, “There is nothing that deals with LGBTQ+ better than this bill that has just been passed by Parliament.”
“We expect the President to walk his talk and be a man of his word,” he added, underscoring the expectation for the President’s endorsement of the bill.
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The passage of the Bill comes after a three-year journey since its conceptualization in February 2021. The bill aims to curtail the advocacy and activities of LGBTQ+ communities in Ghana, reflecting the country’s stance on preserving traditional family values.
Addressing the media after the passage, Sam George highlighted the role of the media in the democratic process, assuring that the bill does not intend to infringe upon the media’s rights.
“The intent of the bill has never been to gag your Chapter 12 rights… your editorial rights to issues on the subject of homosexuality, issues on the subject of Ghanaian family values would continue to be protected by us as sponsors and the Constitution of the Republic,” he stated.
This statement also came with a reminder of the media’s importance as allies in promoting Ghanaian family values and protecting children from influences considered harmful by the bill’s proponents.
George thanked the media, fellow members of Parliament both on the Minority and Majority sides, and the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for their role in achieving widespread public support, citing that 93% of Ghanaians back the bill according to recent polls.
The bill now waits for President Akufo-Addo and whether he will align his actions with his previous statements against the establishment of homosexuality under his leadership.