Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has directed the House to revisit the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.
This follows concerns over whether the level of bipartisan support reflected in the committee report was adequately demonstrated during proceedings on the floor.
The directive was issued after questions were raised about the manner in which the bill was passed by Parliament.
According to the Speaker, the committee report that accompanied the bill indicated that members from both the Majority and Minority sides unanimously supported the proposed legislation.
However, he noted that the same bipartisan consensus was not clearly reflected during the bill’s passage in the House.
The Speaker’s intervention comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the legislative process surrounding the bill, including questions about procedural compliance and whether all parliamentary requirements were met during its passage.
Rt. Hon. Bagbin explained that where a committee presents a report indicating unanimous or bipartisan support for a bill, that consensus ought to be evident in the proceedings and decision-making process on the floor of Parliament.
It is therefore the Speaker’s view that Parliament must return to reconsider aspects of the bill’s passage to ensure that the bipartisan support captured in the committee report is properly demonstrated and reflected in the legislative process.
The development introduces a fresh twist to the passage of the controversial legislation, which has generated intense public debate both within Ghana and internationally.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill seeks to prohibit LGBTQ activities and advocacy in Ghana and has been championed by a group of bipartisan lawmakers. While supporters argue that it seeks to protect Ghanaian family values and cultural norms, critics have raised concerns about its implications for human rights and constitutional freedoms.
Source:tolonradio.com
