This is how LGBTQ+ bill voting will be done by MPs in Parliament

• Posted on October 15, 2021October 15, 2021
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim Banda, has hinted voting on the anti-LGBTQI+ Bill will be done in the open.

This comes after several calls by the public to the House to make the voting process as transparent as possible.

The Banda Member of Parliament (MP), speaking on Burning Issues with Akua Boakyewaa Yiadom on Adom FM Wednesday evening, said leaders at the Minority side have had conversations with members including their party hierarchy to agree on those terms.

He alleged that during voting, members have been told to vote yes for the bill and show it to each other, after which the Whips will give them the nod to drop it in the ballot box.

That notwithstanding, he remarked that he will not be surprised if the bill delays in the House.

“It cannot be by secret balloting. If it is in connection with voting or removal of somebody from office or election of somebody into office that is when we do secret balloting.

“We have spoken to our leaders at party level, we will give you the paper and ask you to say yes, so you will write yes on your paper and show it to each other. Before the paper will be dropped in the box, the party whip will have to check,” he said.

He also explained why the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has more MPs leading the private member bill than the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

“Initially we agreed on four NPP MPs and four MPs from NDC. Do you know that the parliamentary Christian fellowship together with the Speaker hosted the coalition for the anti-gay bill brought by Prof. Opoku-Gyimah? During the programme, all the NPP MPs went away leaving only Ntim Fordjour, so we had to allow another three from our side to join him,” he added.