Minority says gov’t blocking return of LGBTQ bill

The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of intentionally delaying the return of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.

They argue that it has been five weeks since the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, announced that the revised bill was being given final adjustments before its passage and implementation.

Despite this assurance, the bill has still not been brought back to the House for further discussion.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday, November 21, the lead sponsor of the bill and MP for Assin South, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, urged that the bill be scheduled again on the order paper next week.

“It is five weeks since Mr Speaker gave that ruling, and 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 in this country.

“There seems to be complete silence on this. The House must not create the impression that what was a priority in the Eighth Parliament has suddenly been thrown under the carpet,” he said.

“The Speaker declared that it should be on the order paper, but this attempt by the government to block the bill from being featured is a big disappointment to the people of this country. We demand that if it was an oversight or error, it must be corrected, and the bill added to the order paper so that it will be laid and presented for first reading.”

In response, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, rejected the allegation, insisting that the government has no intention of obstructing the bill’s reintroduction.

He assured the House that the Mahama administration remains committed to ensuring the passage of the anti-LGBT bill.