The Chairman of Parliament Select Committee On Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, has intimated that allegations by the Minority that the Majority is deliberately delaying the passage of the Anti-gay bill is unfounded.
According to Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi, before the final passage of the bill, it has to go through a process which the Minority is well aware of which is currently being done.
“This allegation is unfounded, so I will just take it with the contempt that it deserves but on a whole, I will not mind the Minority. One of the Minority Members, complained that the committee is delaying the bill. So, I came in to set the records straight because when Honorable Begra made that comment, I was not in the chamber.”
Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi
Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi indicated that when the Bill was read, it was a private members motion and was referred to the Committee of Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. After the first reading, he disclosed that the committee deliberated on it and put it in the public domain which they had about 186 memoranda.
“So, we had to group them and do public hearing. We finished with all that in the last meeting, then we held a meeting and got the time table.”
Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi
According to Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi, meetings have been held with regards to the bill which saw some of the proposers of the bill in attendance. As such, he stated that the claims by the Minority that the bill is being delayed intentionally is an agenda set by some persons against the Chairman of the Committee.
Committee to analyze bill
Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi averred that some contributions will be taken in for the Bill and education will take place on the Bill. He stated that the Committee will sit and do a clause by clause analysis before the Bill is sent back to Parliament to be read.
“When we are done with the second reading and the principles are held, then we do the consideration stage. That is what we do on the floor of the house, that is, clause by clause amendment, when we are done with that, then we will do the third reading.”
Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi
Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi intimated that when a person alleges that the Chairman of the Committee is delaying the process, then the person doesn’t know the Parliamentary procedure.
The Committee Chairman questioned why the Minority should accuse the Majority of the delay in the bill passage when it is a committee of 9-9 persons from both sides. He stated that he does not understand the allegations being made.
“Is Honorable Muntaka going to organize the meeting of the constitutional, legal and Parliamentary committee? No. He is a leader and I respect that but I am the Chairman of the Committee and to the best of my knowledge, I have even done more than necessary on this bill and that is not the only bill we are even discussing.”
Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi
Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi’s comments came after the Minority in Parliament expressed concerns over what they believe is an attempt to delay the passage of the anti-gay bill that is currently before the House.
The Asawase Member of Parliament, Muntaka Mubarak said on the floor of the House on Wednesday June 8, 2022 that until the anti-gay bay is passed, even if the government introduces a bill that seeks to bring water to the people of his constituents, the NDC MPs will oppose it.
Muntaka explained that since the anti-gay bill was introduced, several other bills have come to Parliament and passed by the House. As such, he suspected a deliberate attempt not to approve the bill.
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