Sam George threatens to name Majority MPs frustrating anti-LGBTQ+ bill passage

Member of Parliament(MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George has threatened to name and shame colleague lawmakers frustrating the passage of the Anti-LGBTQI+ bill.

He says some colleagues in the house have had their palms greased and therefore fighting the interest of some people hence their decision to stifle their efforts these past 3 years.

Sam George made this known when he addressed the press on Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

He said “When the speaker went into his lobby, myself, Hon. Helen Ntorsu and Hon Dela Sowah followed up with the speaker to find out if the bill will be taken. Once again, the speaker RT Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin indicated that he had instructed the First Deputy Speaker to start the consideration and that when he finished his meeting he was going to come back to complete the considerations today.

"Our frustration is that this is not the first time this is happening. This is the third time the speaker has given such an instruction and it has been disregarded in his absence. We need to understand from the majority side what their issues with the bill are.

"We are very well aware of people in leadership on the Majority side who are reaching out to sponsors of the bill to step down the bill. Is that why the majority side is fighting the bill? The excuse given today that the Chairman of the Committee is not in the chamber so we can’t take the amendment is alien to the practice of this house because the ranking member was present.

"Even Government bills when the Chairman is not present the ranking member can take the amendment that stands in the name of the Chairman. The 43 amendments that have been tabled are amendment that has been agreed between us as sponsors and the committee,” he said.

He continued “Those who have gone and gotten influenced by persons who have an interest in the LGBTQ should return whatever influence they have collected. The next time we address the media I will mention names.

"I’ve been impressed upon by my co-sponsors which is why I’m not mentioning names but if they continue this behavior of frustrating the bill…How can this bill spend almost three years?

"This bill was introduced in 2021. They want to disgrace the speaker because if you remember at the beginning of this year, the speaker promised Ghanaians that at the end of this year, we will pass the bill. This is calculated to undermine the authority of the speaker and we will not tolerate it,” he said while addressing the media in Parliament.