A pontification of preachers on Wednesday stormed Parliament House in Accra to encourage the passage of the controversial legislation seeking to outlaw advocacy activities of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender, Queer, etc (LGBTQ++) in Ghana.
The Bill called the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill,” is a Private Members’ bill sponsored by Samuel Gyata George, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram.
The anti-gay Bill has been a subject of debate after a group of middle-class Ghanaian intellectuals started a crusade against the passage of the Bill.
Apparently, the clergymen, mostly from the Church of Pentecost had marched to Parliament in response to the crusade by the group of 18 intellectuals led by President Akufo-Addo’s personal lawyer and longtime friend, Akoto Ampaw.
The Priests urged Parliament to hasten the passage of the Bill which is before the Constitutional and Legal Committee of Parliament after going through the first reading.
Those who are, however, advocating against the passage of the Bill are 18, including Professor Raymond Atuguba of the Ghana Law School, and Professor Audrey Gadzeko, of the University of Ghana.
Minority MPs, who have championed the Bill have refused to back down with the MP for South Dayi, Rockson Nelson Defiamekpor telling the Akoto Ampaw group of crusaders to wait and challenge the law in court if they are not happy with the Bill.
The Clergymen numbering about 30, presented the memorandum to the Committee of Constitution of Legal Affairs.