LIVESTREAMED: Parliament prepares to pass anti-gay bill

The Parliament of Ghana is set to pass the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-gay bill.

This is after the House is done with the 3rd reading of the bill.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, was about to initiate the processes for the third reading of the bill on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, when the Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, requested for a break to discuss with the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

The Speaker, according to GhanaWeb's Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese, proceeded to give a 5-minute break after which the 3rd reading of the bill is expected to be done.

Last week, the House concluded the proposed amendment to the anti-gay bill after its second reading.

With the amendments finalized, the bill is anticipated to undergo its third reading, and potential passage is imminent.

Last week, before the third reading and potential passage of the bill, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who was then the Deputy Majority Leader, filed a motion calling for a second consideration.

He opposed the provision that could result in the imprisonment of individuals accused of engaging in or promoting LGBTQ activities, thereby blocking the bill's progress to the third reading.

"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.

"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," the legislator added.

Afenyo-Markin withdrew his proposed amendment aimed at replacing imprisonment with community service this week paving the way for the bill to be passed.

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