The consideration of the anti-LGBT bill in Parliament resumed on Tuesday, December 12, after a week-long hiatus caused by the absence of the Chairman of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Hon. Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi.
The Chairman, who had been accused of conspiring with LGBT+ activists to stall the bill’s passage, joined the deliberations on the bill that seeks to criminalize various aspects of LGBT+ identity and expression.
The bill’s sponsors had expressed their displeasure with the delay and alleged that some MPs had been bribed or influenced to oppose the bill. They threatened to expose and sanction those involved.
Speaker Alban Bagbin, who had announced the House’s determination to pass the bill before the Christmas recess, reiterated his warning that the public is watching the MPs’ actions closely.
He said the fate of the bill could affect the MPs’ chances of re-election.
He also dismissed the Chairman’s absence as an excuse and said the ranking member could move the amendments in his place.
On Friday, December 8, the Speaker had proceeded with the bill’s consideration in the absence of the Chairman and made five changes to Clause 1, including changing the bill’s title to ‘Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values 2021.’
On Tuesday, however, the Chairman Anyimadu-Antwi resumed his role and led the House in proposing further amendments to the bill.
The House is expected to finish the amendments by Friday, December 22, when it will adjourn for the year.
