The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of deliberately delaying the return of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-LGBTQ bill. According to the caucus, it has been five weeks since Speaker Alban Bagbin announced that the revised bill was undergoing final fine-tuning to prepare it for passage. Despite this assurance, the legislation has still not appeared before the House for consideration.
Raising the matter on the floor on Friday, November 21, lead sponsor of the bill and Member of Parliament for Assin South, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, expressed concern over what he described as a worrying silence. He urged leadership to place the bill back on the order paper next week. He warned that the delay is creating public suspicion about government’s commitment to the process.
“It is five weeks since Mr Speaker gave that ruling. Since then no attempt has been made by this House to have the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill addressed, even as the cancer of LGBTQ continues to devastate our norms and culture and threaten our family values,” he said. “The House must not create the impression that what was a priority in the Eighth Parliament has been thrown under the carpet. The attempt by the government to block the bill from being featured is a big disappointment. We demand that the bill be added to the order paper so that it will be laid and presented for first reading.”
Responding to the allegations, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga dismissed the claim that the government is obstructing the bill’s reintroduction. He insisted that the Mahama administration remains committed to ensuring the passage of the legislation. He assured Parliament that the revised bill will be reintroduced in accordance with the rules of the House.
