The Ghana AIDS Commission has given clarity regarding the commission’s stance on the anti-LGBTQ bill, stating that they are not against the passage of the bill.
The clarification comes in response to claims made by the Deputy Minority Whip of Parliament, Ahmed Ibrahim, who alleged that the Ghana AIDS Commission was against the bill and objected to its passage.
In an interview, the Director General of the commission, Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, indicated that the commission instead called for the amendment of certain clauses within the bill.
“I will like to state categorically that Ghana Aids Commission did not object to the passage of the bill. Ghana Aids Commission rather identified a number of clauses that had the potential risk of creating difficult situations for individuals, families and communities and suggested that those clauses must be given a second look and have them amended,” Dr Atuahene said on July 6.
Dr. Atuahene further explained that the commission’s intention was not to hinder the bill’s progress but to ensure that potential risks and consequences are adequately addressed.
“A number of people and institutions that submitted memos also agreed with what Ghana Aids Commission said. And in fact, some of the issues we raised were also agreed by the Attorney General in the advise paper he gave to the committee,” he added.
“And I am very happy that I have read portions of the report and recognise that the efforts we made in bringing public health perspectives to bare on the bill have been taken in good faith as we see them reflected in the bill.”
“So the contribution of the commission either in the form of the memo we submitted or my appearance before the committee to answer and clarify issues to the committee all clearly indicated that we wanted an amendment to the bill and not to object to the passage of the bill as reported by the committee,” he lamented.