Editor of the Informer newspaper, Andy Kankam, has called for a relook at the LGBTQ+ bill put before Parliament to help establish a common ground on what it entails.
Speaking on the recent controversies surrounding the bill,;he called for thorough deliberations on the bill in order not to infringe on anyone’s human right as being purported by a section of the public and the various stakeholders against the bill.
“All is that we need to find a common ground. You know Ghana is a signatory to all conventions on human rights. So, if there is anything that we infringe on human rights, we should take a second look at it. If they don’t engage,;I think this back and forth will not help. You take those concerns on board,;you go through the bill and see what you can do to the bill to finetune it and make it perfect to a point that,;it will not go against human rights and also not go against conventions you have signed in terms of human rights”.
Andy Kankam
He therefore urged the leaders spearheading the bill to take the criticisms and suggestions in good faith;and work towards ensuring that the bill is passed without anyone’s right being violated or going against the conventions signed by the country.
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Take a second look to reassess punitive measures
Mr. Kankam also asked the leaders to take a second look at the bill as being suggested by some members of the public to reassess some of the punitive measures which is being considered as inhumane and a violation of human right.
“I think in Parliament on the 26th [of October] this LGBTQ is high on the agenda. The bill as we all know is for the promotion of proper human rights and family values. The bill as we all know is to criminalize activities of same sex marriage and homosexuality in this country. I don’t think that any of our leaders have agreed or said exquisitely that listen,;we are going to legalize same sex marriage. I have listened to some of the arguments from some MPs and political commentators and some of our revered personalities from academia and our lawyers also saying that the bill as it stands now if passed will be a gross violation of human rights.
“If you say people who are believed to be in such practices should not be given access to services, health care? it is a violation of human rights. Can you say that because somebody is believed to be in that practice when he is going for some essential services he should be denied? That will be a gross human right violation”.
Andy Kankam
Mr. Kankam appealed to the leaders of the bill to clarify some information in it. He explained that, his suggestion comes about as people have misinterpreted what the position of the advocates are and are saying they are advocating for its legalization but that is not it.
However, he blamed the recent misunderstanding on the miscommunication on the path of some of the lead advocates.
