Parliament of Ghana after three years of debate has passed the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, popularly called the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill, an action which has raised a mixed reactions among Ghanaians.
The bill, which aims to address human sexual rights and uphold family values, proposes strict sanctions, including imprisonment ranging from six months to three years for offenders and three to five years for promoters of LGBTQ+ rights.
In an interview with Fantehemaa On the ‘Efa Wo Ho’’ morning show on Dadi Fm, renowned lawyer Kwaku Painstil explained the legislative process the bill needs to go through to finally become a law.
He said, after Parliament’s passing of the bill, it is sent to the President who can exercise veto power to either decline or give assent to the bill.
He explained “The Attorney General reviews the bill with the President to point out any sections that require further attention. In the instance where parliament disagrees with the President’s decision to not give accent to the bill, parliament possesses the constitutional right to override his veto-power by voting the bill into law with a two-thirds majority of the house”.
Mr. Pinstil explained the need to consider the theories of punishment in the bill, saying that penalties should aim to reform offenders.
He was of the view that the prisons where convicted offenders will end up, rather serves as the starting point and headquarters for LGBTQ+.
A prisoner, going by the pseudonym Kwaku Yaw, said he is happy with the passage of the bill, and urged the President to accent to it. He described the acts of the LGBTQ+ community as appalling and stated that inmates who engage in such activities, when caught, are severely beaten by fellow inmates, before being handed over to prison wardens. He said personally, he has been an eye-witness to such instances.“The prison is not the headquarters for LGBTQ+ activities, anyone who says that is a liar.” Kwaku said.
Kwaku mentioned that inmates are forced into such acts due to financial difficulties and sexual desires.
“The food is small and not good, government gives us GHS 1.80 per head, so inmates who cook using foodstuffs brought by visitors demand for the act before giving you some of the food.’’ Kwaku said.
Meanwhile, a prison officer, Kwame Ghana, his pseudonym, said the persisting LGBTQ+ activities, known as “kwee”, in the prisons is due to the fact that, long-term inmates influence newcomers to satisfy their sexual desires.
He also mentioned instances where inmates demand sexual acts in exchange for food brought by family members or visitors.
According to Kwame, inmates don’t forgive people caught practicing LGBTQ+ activities. He said he believes if people are criminalised for the act, it will help in reforming them.
In 2023, some traditional leaders threatened a nationwide demonstration if parliament failed to pass the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill within the first quarter.
Reacting to the bill’s passage, Nponuahene of Akuapem-Adukrom, Nana Obiri Atakora Asare, said he is happy the bill has been passed and expressed his gratitude to parliament and the Christian council for listening to the traditional leaders.
He said he believes that the President would eventually assent to the bill and considered the proposed sanctions as a positive starting point, suggesting a possible increase in jail terms in the future.
However, a studio guest was of the view, that the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana, who has been in opposition to the bill’s passage from its commencement, has allegedly been sponsored by the LGBTQ+ community to push their agenda.
As the bill awaits the President’s decision, its potential impact on human rights and the LGBTQ+ community remains a subject of intense discussion and concern among Ghanaians.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com//Thelma Okaebea Obeng and Tracy Adjeley Sackey
