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The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has issued a strong warning to Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, emphasizing that any further delays in the approval process of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill will not be tolerated.
Minority Chief Whip Governs Agbodza stated that all necessary consultations regarding proposed amendments by Afenyo-Markin must be completed before Wednesday. He cautioned that the Minority would not tolerate any actions perceived as prolonging the process beyond that deadline.
The bill, aimed at promoting proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values, includes provisions for a three-to-five-year jail term for those who deliberately promote or sponsor LGBTQ activities. Individuals caught in the act face a minimum sentence of six months and a maximum of three years.
During the third reading of the bill, Afenyo-Markin raised objections to a specific provision that could lead to the imprisonment of individuals engaged in LGBTQ activities. His intervention prevented the bill’s immediate passage, sparking debate over the legislation.
While Afenyo-Markin supports the principles outlined in the bill, he opposes the clause about the imprisonment of individuals associated with LGBTQ activities.
In response, the Minority Chief Whip reiterated that any further delays in the approval process would not be tolerated. He stated, “We should also be clear in our minds that we will not unduly always find a reason to postpone the progress of this bill to another day. Because, as we said the other day, everything that he [Afenyo-Markin] has raised in his proposal, he took about an hour here speaking about it, but he keeps giving reasons why we cannot deal with it. So we are giving him ample time to do the consultation because there will be no more filibustering after Wednesday.”
