Anti-Gay Bill passed; but Minority Leader accuses NDC of double- Standards

Parliament has passed the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQI bill, amid heated exchanges between the Minority and Majority caucuses over last-minute amendments proposed by a parliamentary committee.

The passage of the bill was marked by sharp accusations from Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of political hypocrisy and double standards for supporting amendments they had previously rejected while in opposition.

Addressing the House during deliberations on the committee’s report, Mr. Afenyo-Markin argued that members now occupying the Majority side had fiercely resisted every proposed amendment to the bill during proceedings in the Eighth Parliament, only to now endorse changes he claimed would dilute the legislation.

“Our friends who are in government today opposed every amendment in the Eighth Parliament, and today, through a committee amendment, they want to water down the very bill they pushed onto the country,” he charged.

The Minority Leader maintained that the proposed changes undermined the spirit of the original legislation and exposed what he described as the Majority’s lack of principle.

“The people of Ghana can see through the double standard and the lack of principle,” he declared, insisting that the Majority was attempting to create the impression of passing a strict anti-LGBTQI law while simultaneously weakening its provisions.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin further accused the government side of using the committee process to render aspects of the bill ineffective.

“You are passing no law. We can read through your double standard,” he stated during the emotionally charged debate.

However, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga rejected the accusations, describing the Minority Leader’s comments as political theatrics aimed at attracting media attention.

“The Minority Leader will always look for an opportunity to make headline news, especially on a Friday,” Mr. Ayariga remarked.

According to him, the committee’s amendments were intended to safeguard constitutional rights and freedoms while maintaining the core objectives of the legislation.

He explained that the proposed amendments sought to protect the rights of lawyers to offer legal representation, ensure access to healthcare for accused persons, preserve media freedom in reporting LGBTQ-related matters, and protect academic research on the subject.

“The basic question is whether a person accused under the law should have a right to legal representation or access to healthcare,” the Majority Leader argued.

Mr. Ayariga further maintained that Parliament had every constitutional right to amend clauses of the bill and noted that some Minority members on the committee had supported portions of the proposed changes.

He also reminded the House that the bill had previously enjoyed unanimous support when it was first considered in Parliament.

Despite the disagreements over the amendments, Parliament proceeded to pass the bill after clause-by-clause consideration.

The legislation, which seeks to criminalise activities related to LGBTQI advocacy, promotion and funding, has remained one of the most divisive and publicly debated bills in Ghana’s recent parliamentary history.

The bill is expected to be transmitted to the President for assent in accordance with constitutional procedure.