Jailing someone over sexuality won't maintain Ghanaian family values - Afenyo-Markin

Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has halted the progression of the anti-LGBTQ bill by advancing arguments to block its third reading in Parliament.

He stated on Thursday, February 15, 2024, that jailing a person over their sexual preference would not maintain the Ghanaian value the bill is seeking to protect.

His action prevented the bill from being passed.

Sam George, one of the proponents of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, otherwise known as anti-LGBTQ+, earlier on Thursday, February 15, 2024, stated that he was hopeful that the bill would be passed into law before the close of the day.

However, the Effutu MP in parliament argued that even though he is not outrightly against the principles of the bill, he objects to the provision that would lead to the imprisonment of individuals accused of engaging in or promoting LGBTQ activities.

He explained that imprisoning individuals based on their sexuality or preference contradicts the goal of upholding Ghanaian family values and ensuring proper human sexual rights.

To him, sexual preference is behavioural and imprisoning them would not solve it.

"To jail a person for his/her sexuality will not be the solution in maintaining our Ghanaian family values and ensuring proper human sexual rights."

"The issue before us is behavioural, and it is my humble view that in dealing with behavioural matters, incarceration is not the solution. It makes the matter worse,” he stated.

In his view, addressing behavioural issues such as those related to LGBTQ matters requires alternative solutions to incarceration, which he believes exacerbates the problem rather than resolving it.

"The essence of this motion is to afford this august house the opportunity to thoroughly consider amendments that are proposed in the bill with the view of substituting community service for incarceration," he said.

He emphasised that punitive measures included in the bill would not contribute to the rehabilitation of offenders.

Meanwhile, the sponsor of the bill, Sam George, rebuts Afenyo-Markin's argument, suggesting it lacks validity.

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NW/ ADG

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