Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has cautioned western countries on their intrusion in Ghana’s passage of bill on the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill popularly known as the Anti-Gay Bill..
According to him, western countries cannot replicate the sanctions they imposed on Uganda’s parliament and sponsors of their anti-LGBTQ bill on Ghana’s parliament. He revealed that such a move will only result in similar actions against their interests in the country.
“I want to use this opportunity with the support of my colleague members of parliament, since we all support this bill, to serve notice to the western powers that we have taken judicial notice of what they have done to the Speaker of Uganda after Uganda passed the bill. After the Speaker of Uganda passed the bill, with the sanction on the Speaker of Uganda’s parliament and on the sponsors of those bill, we will serve notice as well if they replicate same with our Speaker and members of parliament, we will also take action against their business interest in our country because they serve in this country and make money from here and take back home. They cannot hold us to ransom.”
Sam Nartey George
Speaking on the floor of the House today, July 6, 2023, in deliberation of the LGBTQ bill, Mr George expressed his excitement that the sponsors of the bill are at a point of convergence now with the House. He stated that all 275 of legislators are in support of the bill.
” From the onset, it has been a herculean task when we were putting together the bill. Originally, we had four members on the NDC side and four members on the NPP side…”
Sam Nartey George
In his appreciation of the unanimous resolution of the House, Sam George equally celebrated the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, whom he described as being a “stalwart and a bastion” for the bill.
“But for Mr Speaker, this bill would most likely have been killed. Mr Speaker has stood his ground and ensured that this bill has come this far.”
Sam Nartey George
Emphasizing his position on the bill, Sam George stated that Ghana is a culturally rich nation, with some 70 ethnic groups and 80 languages. Additionally, he indicated that the country has 242 traditional areas that are recognized by the national house of chiefs.
In light of this, he highlighted that the culture of the country does not countenance anything contrary to its dictates.
“Mr Speaker, we throw an open challenge to proponents outside of this House, since there is no proponent in this House of LGBTQ rights to show us one traditional Ghanaian language or one Ghanaian traditional area that accepts and supports homosexuality…”
Sam Nartey George
Western countries workforce has been depleted
Reacting to a ranking member on the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor’s comment that “countries practicing LGBTQI In 50 years will be extinct, Sam George revealed that “extinction comes when they lack people”.
He noted that currently, most of the western countries are attracting Ghana’s finest brains and offering migration programs to bring people because their workforce has been depleted.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor, has revealed that passing the bill on the promotion of proper sexual human rights and Ghanaian Family Values will not violate any international treaty.
The Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, in its report on the bill, highlighted concerns regarding potential breaches of international treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights, and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, among others.
However, during the parliamentary debate on the bill, Bernard Ahiafor, refuted these claims. He denied that the bill would violate international treaties if passed.
“The bill under reference if passed into law will not violate article 108 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana.”
Bernard Ahiafor
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