The leadership of the Minority in Parliament have begun auditing its members who have been denied a visa by some embassies in the country.
It wants to establish whether the denial is linked to their stance on the proposed Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values 2021 Bill, otherwise known as the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
The Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini, who is one of the signatories to a private member’s motion seeking to criminalise activities of LGBTIQ has confirmed that the Netherlands embassy denied him a visa.
According to him, the Embassy explained that he would not return to Ghana, although he submitted all relevant documents to support his application.
“For the Netherlands to ignore my status as an MP with the responsibility to an entire constituency, which was known to them…my valid travel visas to the UK and USA and my numerous previous travel records, which indicate I have never overstayed any visit abroad…my beautiful family, and deny me an entry visa on the basis that, there was insufficient evidence…that I have significant social or economic ties to my country to prompt my return after my intended visit, could only have been deliberately taken to provoke me and also undermine Ghanaian state officials and diplomats,” he said.
JoyNews is also leaning children of one of the proponents of the Bill were denied visas to travel abroad by one of the foreign missions in the country.
Many have warned that passing the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill could spell economic doom for Ghana as the west could withdraw funding and place restrictions on the travel of the country’s leaders to their jurisdictions.
But even before the bill is passed the heat is already been felt as reports emerge over the denial of visas to some MPs. Minority chief whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, says the development if true will be unfortunate and an attack on the rights of parliament.
“The leadership of the Minority are auditing our members especially those who have been denied visas and establish whether or not it had anything to do with their stance on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill before Parliament.
“If it comes out that they were denied visas because of the bill, then we as minority will start a crusade against such embassies and their interest in Ghana.
“In fact we will boycott anything relating to them in parliament even if they are providing water or healthcare services to Ghana because for me, it is a clear case of disrespect to Parliament,” he warned.
The Private Members Bill has eight members sponsoring it, and out of the number, only one is an NPP MP, Rev. John Ntim Forjour of Assin South constituency in the central region.
Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, says the NPP MPs were warned not to co-sponsor during the presentation stage.
“My information is that the NPP MPs, about six of them were warned not to co-sponsor the bill because all along we were working together, but when it was time for the signing, only Rev. Ntim Forjour was available.
“When we enquired, it was clear some higher authority forced them to abandon it but this is one bill we all must bury our differences and pass it so we in the minority will sit with the Majority and explore ways to resolve this matter,” he stressed.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has meanwhile described as untrue claims it is a member of the Progressive Alliance a known promoter of LGBTQ+ rights.
Former Director of the Institute of African Studies, Legon, Prof Takyiwaa Manuh challenged the party to be upfront with Ghanaians on its position.
NDC’s Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, said the party is not a members of the Progressive Alliance and has instructed it to delete the NDC from its list of associates.
