MPs will publicly cast vote on anti-gay bill – Speaker Bagbin

• Posted on October 27, 2021October 27, 2021
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has stated the Members of Parliament will publicly cast their vote on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, also known as the anti-gay bill.

According to him, the public voting of the bill is “to know where each Member of Parliament stands.”

He said the bill will be passed based on Ghanaian values, common sense and respect for the human rights and freedom enshrined in the constitution.

“I’m very convinced that the law that will come out of all of this will protect the culture and values of our Ghanaian identity. It is a law I believe that will also take into consideration, the human rights and freedom that have been guaranteed under our constitution. 

“And it’s a law that will take into consideration the richness of the common sense,” he said in an address when Parliament resumed today, Tuesday, October 26, 2021.

He added that Parliament will not tolerate any attempt to delay the passage of the anti-gay bill.

Parliament commenced the third meeting of the first session of the Eighth Parliament today October 26, 2021.

A statement from Parliament said: “The meeting is expected to last nine weeks after which the House will go to recess in December. The House is scheduled to work on bills and papers at their various stages.”

A total of 56 bills are expected to be presented before the House.

The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 has generated national conversations in the past few weeks.

The bill seeks to criminalise LGBTQ+ sexual relationships and associations.