The Minority in Parliament has accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of significantly altering the anti-LGBTQ legislation approved by Parliament in 2024, arguing that the revised version no longer reflects the intentions behind the original bill.
At a press briefing in Parliament, Minority MPs claimed that the newly passed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill underwent extensive modifications before receiving parliamentary approval last Friday, resulting in what they describe as a fundamentally different piece of legislation.
According to the Minority, the revised legislation contains numerous deletions, redrafted sections and fresh insertions that substantially changed the original content Parliament previously approved and presented for presidential assent.
Co-sponsor of the bill, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, argued that supporters of the original legislation expected only presidential approval rather than extensive modifications.
He maintained that while members of the current government, when in opposition, repeatedly called for the bill to be signed into law without delay, the current administration later insisted on amendments before moving forward.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour said the changes introduced before presidential assent raise concerns about whether the commitments made to Ghanaians ahead of the elections have been honored.
According to him, the original promise communicated to voters was straightforward — that the bill would be signed into law rather than revised.
He criticized the decision to amend the legislation before assent, describing the process as inconsistent with earlier public commitments.
The Assin South legislator further argued that the revised bill contains substantial structural changes, making comparisons with the original legislation difficult.
He claimed that multiple sections were removed, new provisions inserted and several clauses rewritten, resulting in what he considers a materially different legal framework from the one passed in 2024.
The Minority also argued that the modifications have weakened the bill’s intended enforcement mechanisms.
According to Rev. Ntim Fordjour, the legislation’s ability to serve as a deterrent has been reduced due to the changes introduced during the review process.
He questioned why the original version, which supporters had previously insisted was ready for assent, was not maintained if government officials genuinely believed in its contents.
Despite criticizing the amendments, the Minority insisted they remain committed to supporting legislation concerning human sexual rights and family values.
They also emphasized their continued support for Parliament’s constitutional authority to legislate on the matter.
Minority MPs maintain that their objections are not directed at the existence of the bill itself but rather at what they describe as a significant weakening of its original objectives.
Source:tolonradio.com
