Sam George’s absence prompts Parliament to postpone introducing an anti-LGBTQ bill
The second reading of the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2022” has been postponed by the Business Committee of Parliament until next week.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and associated behaviours are prohibited by the Bill because it aims to protect legitimate human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values.
The majority leader and head of government business in Parliament for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said that Sam George’s absence necessitated moving the bill’s laying date to next week, the Ningo-Prampram MP, who is also the Private Members’ Bill’s Lead Sponsor, as well as Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Asante Akim Central and the chairman of the committee on constitutional, legal, and parliamentary affairs.
George and Anyimadu-Antwi were both away from Ghana throughout the course of the week on official business; Anyimadu-Antwi had just arrived back in Ghana, while George would be returning later. This was observed by Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
It should be remembered that on Friday, June 23, during the presentation of the House’s business statement, Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, acting through First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu, gave the go-ahead for the House’s Business Committee to table the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2022” for the House to consider on either Tuesday, June 27, or Thursday, June 29.
Since George and Anyimadu-Antwi were not present, the Bill could not be placed for the House’s second reading despite having been on the Order Paper of the House for two days.
MPs would have the chance to discuss the Bill’s major tenets at the second reading.