The Speaker of Parliament in Ghana, Alban Bagbin, has expressed a strong opposition to the legalization of LGBTQ+ activities in the country, stating that he would rather die than see it happen. The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, also known as the Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill, is being reviewed by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs.
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While the bill is not completely unconstitutional, its implementation would face challenges if it is passed by Parliament. Its objective is to safeguard human sexual rights and uphold Ghanaian family values by prohibiting the activities of individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer. If the bill becomes law, individuals found guilty could face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
“For you all to participate in it count me out of Ghana because I will prefer to join my maker than to live. That is me I am a Catholic and I will not do anything that will end the world because God says the world is eternal until he comes back we cannot do that to end the world.”
During a press event in Tamale as part of Ghana’s Parliament 30th Anniversary Celebration, the Speaker of Parliament made his stance clear. However, United Nations human rights experts have called on the Ghanaian government to reject the proposed anti-gay bill.
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“The Bill recognises our family values, it accepts what we call normal and not abnormal and it protects those who by nature or whatever are caught and so we will pass the legislation that we believe will not offend the position of the 1992 Constitution.”
They argue that the bill would establish a system of discrimination and violence against the LGBTQ+ community, which contradicts Ghana’s reputation as a champion of democracy in Africa and its impressive achievements in attaining certain Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The UN statement expresses concern regarding the consideration of such a bill.
