Ghana's Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram is insistent that the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana does not consider same-sex relationships as a fundamental human right.

Speaking on Joy FM, Mr Sam Nartey George, said homosexuality is regarded as a human preference. He, therefore, dared persons, including legal practitioners, who hold opposing views to prove otherwise.

“Homosexuality is not a fundamental human right. Show me where in the 1992 Constitution, it says that sexual preference is a fundamental human right. The laws of Ghana are clear. I challenge anybody, any lawyer in this country to show me. Homosexuality is a human preference, it is not a fundamental human right,” he said.

A group made up of academics, lawyers, researchers, civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights activists kicked against the Anti-LGBTQ bill.

According to group, the bill would erode fundamental human rights, as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, and send Ghana to the dark ages of lawlessness and intolerance.

The group submitted a 30-page memorandum to Parliament, detailing what it described as the unconstitutionality of the bill.

Members

The group comprises lawyer Mr Akoto Ampaw; author, scholar and former Director of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Prof. Emerita Takyiwaa Manuh; a communications and media expert, Prof. Kwame Karikari; the Dean of the University of Ghana (Legon) School of Law, Prof. Raymond Atuguba, and the Dean of the University of Ghana School of Information and Communication Studies, Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo.

Some religious leaders and leadership of the Church of Pentecost marched to Parliament in support of the passing of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

The Clergymen numbering about 30, presented their memorandum to the Committee of Constitution of Legal Affairs.

According to the Clergymen, further dragging of the bill will allow a lot of people to speak to it thereby delaying its passage into law.

The Church of Pentecost sent its strongest caution yet to government regarding the legislation against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) and their related activities in Ghana.

National Chairman of the Church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, says his outfit will vote out any political party that stands against the passage of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.

“We’re going to cause people to come onto the street, and we’re going to warn any government that if you vote against this bill, we will vote you out, that is it. There’s no room for neutrality,” he told journalists.

The Anglican Church, Ghana (Internal Province of Ghana) threw its weight behind the anti-gay (LGBTQI) Bill currently before Parliament.

According to the Church, the support is borne out of the belief that LGBTQI+ is unbiblical and ungodly.

“We see LGBTQI+ as unrighteousness in the sight of God and will therefore do anything within our powers and mandate to ensure that the bill comes into fruition,” they said in a statement.

A lead advocate against LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana, Moses Foh-Amoaning indicated that Christian religious groups in the country are ready to take up any financial cost that may be incurred by the state in the prosecution of members of the LGBTQ+ community.

According to him, church leaders pushing for the passage of the Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, also known as the anti-LGBT+ Bill, told him about their readiness to take up such a cost if the need arises.

This cames in response to an argument from some professionals who are calling for the withdrawal of the Anti-LGBT+ Bill from Parliament.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said he is "gravely concerned" by a proposed law in Ghana, which would impose harsh penalties on the LGBT community.

The bill is supported by the Anglican Church of Ghana, despite a previous agreement by all Anglican churches not to support discriminatory legislation.

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the symbolic head of Anglicans worldwide, said he would raise his concerns with the Anglican Archbishop of Ghana in the coming days.

"We are a global family of churches, but the mission of the church is the same in every culture and country: to demonstrate, through its actions and words, God's offer of unconditional love to every human being through Jesus Christ," he added.

Parliament began considering memoranda it received from the public on the Anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQ+) Bill.

At the time the Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs had received over 150 memoranda from individuals, groups and faith-based organizations and programmed to hear 10 petitions each week.

Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Deputy Majority Leader, announced it when he presented the Business Statement for the third week, which ends on Friday, November 12, to the House.

A survey conducted by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) found that the passage of the Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill will throw government’s economic agenda out of gear.

Presenting the findings of the Centre’s study in Accra, Executive Director of ISODEC, Bernard Anaba, hinted that Ghana is likely to face economic and diplomatic pressure if the Bill is passed.

“By this Bill, we have added economic conditionality on ourselves [as a country] when we go out to seek support. Ghana’s budget regularly relies on grants of about 4 to 6 per cent each year from donor partners who are mostly against this Bill as we know.”

Ningo-Prampram MP and Lead Sponsor for the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, Sam George has dismissed the survey by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on the passage of the bill.

The CDD-Ghana presenting the findings of the Centre’s study on Tuesday in Accra warned and predicted a grimmer outlook for Ghana’s economy should Parliament pass the Bill.

“By this Bill, we have added economic conditionality on ourselves [as a country] when we go out to seek support. Ghana’s budget regularly relies on grants of about 4 to 6 percent each year from donor partners who are mostly against this Bill as we know.”

Speaking on Joy FM, Sam George said the findings of CDD are borne out of influences from international donor support agencies due to the funding Think Tanks in Ghana receive from these agencies.