MUSLIM Group Wants Parliament To Speed Passage Of Anti-Gay Law

The Coalition of Muslim Organizations (COMOG) has called on Parliament to expedite action on the passage of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 into law.

In a statement signed by Hajj Abdel-Manan Abdel-Rahman, President of COMOG, it said a quick passage of the law will forestall further controversies over the issue of gay rights.

“…we fully endorse the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 and encourage Parliament of the Republic of Ghana to pass the bill for the President to swiftly accent same into law,” reads the statement.

“This position as contained in our Memorandum and other communiqué, is still held strongly by COMOG, in our unrelenting support to criminalize the practice of LGBTQI+ in Ghana and possibly, the world over,” the statement said.

It comes after some unknown persons mounted a billboard on the Motorway promoting gay rights. The billboard has since sparked public anger. COMOG also expressed resentment against the development.

The group finds the billboard “an insult to Muslims and other stakeholders in Ghana for this billboard to be erected while the issue is under consideration in Parliament.”

It also expressed unhappiness over delay tactics by the Constitutional and Legal Committee of Parliament, which is tasked to prepare the Bill for passage.

The Chairman of the Committee, Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, an MP of the ruling NPP was recently accused by the Minority of deliberately dragging the process. Already, the NPP is believed to be looking for ways and means to sabotage the Bill.

“Without mincing words, we take strong exception to the conduct of the Committee for Constitutional and Legal Affairs of Parliament for dragging its feet in getting this Bill passed. We wish to reiterate our position that, we shall continue to resist the promotion and practice of LGBTQI+ in Ghana, as expressed in several Communiqué and Pressers held during the debate in 2021,” COMOG said.