Ayimadu-Antwi threatens to block anti-gay bill

The Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Kwame Ayimadu-Antwi, has threatened to stall the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill if it is politicized.

This comes after the sponsors of the anti-gay bill accused the Majority caucus on Wednesday of deliberately attempting to frustrate the passage of the bill.

Speaking to journalists, Kwame Ayimadu-Antwi said he does not have the authority to prosecute the bill in the House.

He added that over GH¢900,000 was spent on the 9-day public hearing conducted by the committee to gather concerns from various stakeholders on the bill due to its urgency.

“The press conference that was organized [by the Minority] was in bad faith, and they should desist from that. All members of Parliament agreed that we must prosecute this bill. Therefore, I must warn that any attempts by anybody who would want to clothe this bill with political colours will suffer non-passage of the bill.”

“When we met at a committee meeting, it was not a one-sided hearing. We spent some time on this until we presented our report. If leadership has not agreed that we are going to consider a bill, I see no reason why I, the chairman, will get up and say I want to prosecute it.”

The proponents of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, also known as the Anti-LGBT bill, expressed fury over the inability of Parliament to take the bill at its consideration stage that day.

But he has rejected claims that the majority is blocking the passage of the bill.

The bill seeks to proscribe LGBTQ and related activities, prescribe propaganda or advocacy for or promotion of LGBTQ and related activities; provide for the protection of and support for children, and persons who are victims or accused of LGBTQ and related activities.

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