Speaker To Determine Whether Or Not To Continue With Proceedings Of Anti-LGBTQ+Bill – Bekwai MP Reveals

The 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament and also the Member of Parliament for the Bekwai constituency, Joseph Osei-Owusu has explained why Parliament has delayed attending to the Ghanaian anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

According to Mr Osei-Owusu, the Speaker will have to approve any advancement on the bill since two lawsuits have been filed against it.

“In respect of that bill, there’s a court action pending which Mr. Speaker has been made a party. Mr Speaker brought the court action to the attention of leaders, and so I think in considering programming or not programming, you may wish to discuss with the Speaker and what steps he may take before you programme them,” the 1st Deputy Speaker told the House.

 

The bill is a private member’s bill, which is being sponsored by the Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam George, and some other Members of Parliament.

However, two suits—one at the High Court and the other at the Supreme Court— have been filed against the bill, also known as the Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.

Consequently, the bill, which is currently before Parliament, has suffered a major setback since Parliament has decided to slow down on taking any decision on the bill.

While addressing the House, a sponsor of the bill, Sam George, also expressed his grievance that the business committee had not programmed the bill for consideration.

He thereby suggested that the committee tables the bill for the business of the House.

Mr George contended that “We [Parliament] can begin to sit on it and do the second reading, tending other government business, so if they can table it for next week, we will be grateful.”

 

 

But the 1st Deputy Speaker reiterated that the Speaker should be consulted as to whether or not Parliament could continue with the proceedings in the light of the constitutional interpretation that is being sought against the bill.

However, Mr Osei-Owusu assured that they would engage to decide the next step to take to avoid a “clash with the judiciary.”

 

 

 

 

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