European Union confident Ghana’s Anti-gay bill will not become a law

The European Union (EU) has indicated that the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act, commonly known as the Anti-gay Bill, which was passed by the Parliament of Ghana recently, would not become a law, graphic.com.gh reports.

For the bill to become a law, the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, must assent to it or parliament must approve it by two-thirds majority.

Speaking at the European Parliament on April 24, 2024, Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Union Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, representing the Union’s Vice-President, Josep Borrell, addressed the parliament on issues surrounding Ghana’s Anti-gay Bill.

While touting Ghana’s position as a stable democracy and a stabilising force in the West Africa sub-region, Sinkevičius said that the country (Ghana) has made positive strides in human rights protection, citing the effort by parliament to abolish the death penalty.

He, however, noted that there remain some challenges, particularly when it comes to safeguarding the rights of sexual minorities.

The Commissioner for Environment said that the EU has been closely monitoring the developments surrounding the bill since its introduction in 2021.

He said that he remains confident in Ghana's commitment to human rights, citing statements by President Akufo-Addo and other top officials of the government of Ghana on potential setbacks to human rights and the financial implications should the bill become a law.

About the passage of the anti-gay bill:

The Parliament of Ghana, on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, passed the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the Anti-LGBT+ Bill.

The bill, currently awaiting presidential assent, proscribes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) activities and criminalizes their promotion, advocacy, and funding.

Persons caught in these acts will be subjected to a six-month to three-year jail term, with promoters and sponsors facing a three to five-year jail term.

The bill will now require presidential assent to come into force within 7 days. However, if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo refuses to assent to the bill, parliament, by a two-third majority vote, can approve it into law.

The Office of the President has ordered the Parliament of Ghana not to attempt to transmit the Anti-gay Bill till two legal actions against it in the Supreme Court are determined.

BAI/NOQ

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