General News of Tuesday, 28 March 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Present report on anti-LGBTQ+ bill, don’t be intimidated by any person - Bagbin tells Committee

Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament

Speaker of Parliament Aban Bagbin has told the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament to present the report on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, popularly known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill before the house.

He urge the committee members should not be intimidated by anyone with regards to the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.

Speaking during a breakfast meeting with the parliamentary Christian fellowship on Tuesday, March 28, Alban Bagbin said the constitution is very clear on the direction the country should move.

“Please, committee members that we referred the bill to, we want the report, don’t be intimidated by any person. Please let the report flow, we need to legislate. Our friends just passed their law in Uganda, we may not go the way they have gone, our Constitution is very clear as to the direction we should move and so we should be guided by that because if we pass any law against the Constitution, it is unconstitutional,” Alban Bagbin stated.

Meanwhile the ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, has indicated that the committee will present the report before parliament goes on recess.

According to him, the committee has considered the concerns of Ghanaians after they received over 200 memoranda on the bill.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb’s Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese, he said, “…We are at a stage that the committee’s report and the recommended amendments on the LGBTQ+ bill is ready, so it likely tomorrow we will lay the report on the LGBTQ+ bill by which it has now moved from the committee to the plenary for consideration.

He added, "So it will be for a second reading then after the second reading when the bill passes through the second reading, then it moves to a consideration stage, the third reading, then it is passed. And will be referred to the president for accent in line with the constitutional imperatives."

YNA/FNOQ