The Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament in Ghana is currently discussing potential amendments to the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill also known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.
The committee’s chairman, Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, has disclosed that they are considering the inclusion of specialized health facilities aimed at providing support and rehabilitation for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Speaking to JoyNews, he said “we are going to look at the amendment that we have made and the speaker prompted us that he may refer it back to us. For instance, the proposal that the person had practiced and owned up to rehabilitation and the person will want to go to the hospital.”
In addition, the Asante Akim Central MP has clarified that the proposed amendment would involve the participation of Christian and Muslim hospitals. These hospitals would play a role in assisting with the reintegration of LGBTQ+ individuals back into society, as part of the rehabilitation process.
“Health facilities from all the churches and Moslem communities, they have the health facilities and we want to bring them on board. We as a committee will have to meet them and take a decision on that,” he said.
When questioned about the current status of the lawsuit against the bill, the chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee stated that the committee will continue with its work as they have not yet been officially informed about any pending case in court.
“I have not had any hint about this case so when I am proceeding, I will proceed on this case. I have not had any hint and nobody has prompted me that this will not allow me to proceed, I can not on my own, I am hearing it on you for the second time that there is a case in court but I have not seen it,” he said.
The bill which has come to be known as anti-LGBTQ+ has come under scrutiny from some sections of the public and went through a second reading in Parliament on June 5, 2023.
The controversial LGBT bill is a private member’s bill that was presented to Speaker Alban Bagbin on Tuesday, June 29, 2021. It is being spearheaded by 8 MPs.
The proponents want the promotion, advocacy, funding, and acts of homosexuality to be criminalised in the country.
Although the Bill is in Parliament, the LGBTQ+ conversation was reignited during US Vice President, Kamala Harris’ visit to Ghana.