LGBTQI+: We’ll criminalize both advocacy and practice – Sam George

Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram Sam Nettey George is spearheading a Private Members’ Bill to criminalize advocacies and activities of LGBTQI+ activities in Ghana.

Speaking on GH Today with Lantam Papanko Tuesday, the lawmaker indicated that the bill which has seen support from both sides of the House is in furtherance of criminalizing homosexuality in all of its form.

“We want to criminalize Homosexuality in all of its forms. The Private Members Bill will augment existing provisions in Sections 104 of the Criminal Offenses Act. We are going to take the gamut of the perversion, deal with it, criminalize both the act and the advocacy of it, and make it unattractive for anybody”.

According to him, there is nothing wrong with the existing law however there is the need to grow and define the law to reflect existing conditions.

“There is nothing wrong with the law. I believe the law is clear- it criminalizes it, however, that law was passed in the sixties. We need to grow. What we are looking to do is to re-adapt our laws looking at the legislation of other jurisdictions, making sure that Ghana has the most water-tight legislation against homosexuality in this country. The bill will also look at protecting what the institution of marriage is”.

Meanwhile, Mr Kwame Jantuah, Member of the CPP and CEO of the African Energy Consortium has pledged support for the bill.

“I am 100% behind what Hon. George is trying to do. We need to differentiate what someone’s fundamental human right is and what someone’s behavioural orientation is and I hope they will clearly state that in the act.”