The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin says urgent actions are being taken to make clear laws against LGBTQI activities in the country.
According to the Speaker, there are ongoing stakeholder consultations to feed into a bill for that purpose.
Alban Bagbin disclosed this while responding to a letter from a political activist who had petitioned Parliament to amend Ghana’s laws to fight the phenomenon in the country.
“I appreciate very much your concerns about activities of the LGBTQI+ groups in the country. It is indeed a phenomenon that should not be encouraged or accepted by our society due to its eventual negative impact on society.”
“Urgent actions are being taken to pass a law to eventually nip the activities of these groups in the bud. Stakeholder consultations are also ongoing, and the results will feed into a bill that will eventually be passed into law by Parliament,” he wrote in the letter dated June 15, 2021
The debate about the legalization of LGBTQI rights in Ghana was revived earlier this year after police raided and closed down the offices of some LGBTQI campaigners in Ashongman in the Greater Accra Region.
Many religious bodies, parliamentarians, ministers, human rights advocates, supporters of the movement and other relevant stakeholders waded into the discourse about the legalization or criminalization of homosexuality in Ghana.
While some say the practice, if allowed, will serve interests that are abhorrent to the culture and values of the Ghanaian people, others insisted that the rights of LGBTQI persons must be protected.
Following the Ashongman LGBT office raid and renewed pressure on the executive arm of government on the matter, President Akufo-Addo stressed that marriage between persons of the same sex will not be legalized under his presidency.
“For same-sex marriage to be legalized in Ghana, it will not happen in my time as President,” he stated emphatically.
Just recently, 21 LGBTQI activists were arrested in Ho in the Volta Region for allegedly holding a meeting to champion LGBTQI activities in the region.
The activists made up of 16 females and 5 males were subsequently granted bail.
