Rev. Ntim Fordjour, the Member of Parliament for Assin South, says the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill could be passed into law within the next three to six months if all stakeholders show the same level of commitment demonstrated in the previous Parliament.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Joy News’ AM Show, the former Deputy Education Minister expressed confidence that the legislative process will be smooth, stressing that most of the contentious issues surrounding the bill have already been addressed.
“Within 3 months to 6 months, we should be able to pass this bill. We’ve had bills more complex than this, which even came under a certificate of urgency. So, I don’t see why this should go beyond three months,” Rev. Fordjour said.
The MP explained that the current bill is not starting from scratch, as extensive consultations and debates have already taken place in the previous parliamentary session.
This, he believes, should accelerate its passage once it goes through the standard legislative stages.
He also noted that if the level of bipartisan support shown earlier is maintained, the bill should not extend beyond the current parliamentary meeting.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the anti-LBGTQ+ bill, has generated significant national and international debate.
It seeks to criminalise same-sex relations and activities deemed to promote LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana.
The bill is expected to be laid before Parliament this week for its first reading before being referred to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for consideration.
Source: Caleb Ahinakwah