Ranking Member on the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, has assured the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, that the committee would not be intimidated by anyone from doing its work in relation to the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, popularly known as the Anti-Gay Bill.
Mr. Ahiafo said he is a lawyer and is filled with an indomitable spirit, therefore, he cannot be intimidated by anyone.
He claimed in an interview on Wednesday, March 29, that the committee is ready to take the second reading of the Bill, if it is programmed by the Business Committee.
He said “I am a lawyer, I will look at the law, look at the constitution and look at what needs to be done.”
“That is exactly what I am going to do without any fear or favor and so let me assure the Speaker that the committee is made up mostly of lawyers and they cannot be intimidated.
“What the committee is supposed to do, the Committee has done it, and our report is ready. If the Business Committee programmes it today, we can take the second reading of the anti-LGBTQI Bill today, if it is programmed tomorrow, we can take the Bill tomorrow.”
Bernard Ahiafor
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, earlier told the Constitutional committee, not to be intimidated by anyone regarding the Anti-Gay Bill. He asked the committee to report back to him, if they are encountering any challenges.
“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
Akufo-Addo Was Being Diplomatic
However, a member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Bishop Samuel Mensah, said although Akufo-Addo who is Christian was expected to have expressed his disapproval of same-sex marriage on the basis of his religious beliefs, the President was a bit diplomatic in his response to a question on homosexuality, during the meeting with the US VP Kamal Harris.
Bishop Mensah indicated that it was expected that the issue of homosexuality would come up for discussion during the meeting with Madam Kamal Harris.
Speaking in an interview, he said “I think definitely the President knew there was going to be a question to this regard, even the ordinary Ghanaian knew that once Kamala Harris was coming in and representing what she represents, being the Vice President of US, obviously the average Ghanaian was aware and knowing exactly what has happened in other countries like Kenya, Uganda and some of the places that the US has gone to, obviously the society was definitely aware.
“I think the President decided to be a little bit more diplomatic and he will be politically correct, in his response. The majority of our society do not entertain same-sex marriage, that is who we are and that is what we stand for. Beyond that, the President is a believer and a Christian, and so we will assume that he believes in that principle.
“I am not talking of the polarized Christian concept that we are seeing in Europe and in some churches. Where we stand, the President believes in these values and so he could have expressed along that line but he wanted to be diplomatic in the approach. I think we should just accept it as it is now and let us see what Parliament is going to do.”
Bishop Samuel Mensah
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