Sam George, one of the Members of Parliament (MP) sponsoring the anti-LGBTQI+ bill, is still at sea as to why people think the bill will criminalise homosexuality.

According to him, Ghana is not a secular state, hence, all the bill is seeking to do is to “promote proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values.”

The Ningo Prampram legislator made these remarks when he appeared together with his colleague sponsors before the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on Monday.

This was at a time the committee tasked to probe memoranda submitted on the bill resumed its public hearing on the bill following a temporal suspension on November 11.

Over 140 memos have been presented to the Committee so far regarding the Bill.

The Bill, if passed in its current state, will criminalise Lesbianism, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and their related activities.

Though he admitted Ghana accepts different religions, he was quick to add the national anthem among other things indicate God is at the centre of the nation.

“We are very confident that Ghana is not a secular state; Ghana is a pluralistically religious state and we cannot allow homosexual activities.

“Mr Chairman, before we started this meeting you asked for prayer either a Christian, Muslim or Traditionalist prayer we accept different religions but we are a nation that respects God and He has a place in our nation.

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“Our national anthem is a prayer that starts with God so nobody should call us a secular state,” he stated.

He further argued the legislators sponsoring the bill are only offering protection and support to the vulnerable and economically disadvantaged for victims of homosexuality.

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This follows a temporal suspension barely 24 hours after the committee held its first hearing on Thursday, November 11, 2021.

About eight persons or organisations are expected to appear before the Committee to make their presentations, after which further interrogations will follow.

The Committee is expected to give audience to the authors of over 150 memoranda on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill.

Closing the first session of public hearings on Thursday [November 11, 2021], Chairman of the Committee, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, cited time constraints as the reason for the suspension of the hearings.

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“We haven’t finished with the public hearings. There are other memoranda that we have received but we are constrained with time and we cannot predict what time we would have to meet and continue,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ningo-Prampram Member of Parliament, Samuel George, and one of the sponsors of the anti-LGBTQI Bill described as satisfactory the first day of the public hearing on the bill.