Public hearing of anti-LGBTQI+ bill resumes today
A public hearing on the Anti- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex (LGBTQI) bill which initially went on a break prior to the reading of the 2022 budget statement is scheduled to resume today November 29 2021 by the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.
The bill that often sparks a debate among the Ghanaian populace seeks to criminalize all LGBTQI+ activities and advocacies in the country.
According to the committee in charge, the public hearing is to afford proponents who are for or against the bill the opportunity to state their reasons why they are for or against the bill.
Eight persons or organizations are scheduled to appear before the committee today according to the Chairman of the Committee Hon Kwame Anyimadu.
He explained that they will be given 15-20 minutes to do their presentation and then questions for clarification will be asked.
“The number of memoranda that we have received are many but we are envisaging eight or nine persons or organizations to appear before us today, Monday. We have read the memoranda that they submitted so they will be given some minutes to actually go through what they have submitted and then members will ask questions for clarification.”
It will be recalled that the committee commenced its public hearing on Thursday, November 11, 2021. The committee suspended its public hearings after day one citing time constraints as the reason.
“We haven’t finished with the public hearings. There are other memoranda that we have received but we are constrained with time and we cannot predict what time we would have to meet and continue,” the chairman of the committee said in a Citi News interview.
The first group to make its appearance on the committee which is the Concerned Ghanaian Citizens called on the committee to admonish Parliament to reject the Bill.
Lawyer Akoto Ampaw who happens to be the group’s spokesperson accused the Speaker of Parliament of exercising unreasonable discretion in admitting the bill.
According to the group, the bill violates the fundamental human rights of Ghanaians and promotes hate.
Other groups that appeared before the committee on the first day of the hearing included the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the Human Rights Coalition, Amnesty International, and Advocates for Christ.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
