The new Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has suggested that some of his fellow MPs are reluctant to criticize the controversial anti-gay bill out of fear of reprisals.
He mentioned that the introduction of the bill has created a climate of fear among legislators, leading them to steer clear of challenging it.
Afenyo-Markin also voiced concern about the severe sentencing provisions in the legislation, which he believes are exacerbating the apprehension among his colleagues. He stated that he is willing to speak out, even if it means losing his parliamentary seat.
The Effutu legislator further raised doubts about the efficacy of the proposed penalties for engaging in LGBT activities. He questioned whether individuals imprisoned for such actions would undergo meaningful reform during their incarceration.
During an interview on The Point of View on Citi TV, with Bernard Avle, Afenyo-Markin said, “The way the whole thing was introduced, it created some fear among legislators, that people think that if I dare question it, they will say that I’m supporting a man to marry a man or supporting a woman to marry a woman, so nobody wants to touch it. It’s a radioactive substance. But, if we pay attention to the details, we can come up with a law that will be acceptable to all.”
In February, Parliament approved a bill stipulating a three-to-five-year jail term for those promoting or sponsoring LGBTQ activities, with individuals caught in the act facing imprisonment ranging from six months to three years.
During the bill’s clause-by-clause amendment, Mr. Afenyo-Markin argued against the punitive measures, stating that they would not facilitate the rehabilitation of the offenders.
He also voiced concerns about the constitutionality of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently being reviewed by Parliament, suggesting that it contains significant legal flaws that may not stand up to legal scrutiny.
“I think the law in its present form has questionable constitutional issues. The law as I see it, from how I’ve seen it, cannot stand any serious test in any constitutional court. I think that the law would have serious challenges at the Supreme Court. If it faces a constitutionality test, it will fail. Not the entire law, but aspects of it, will fail. That’s my view,” he said.