In Support of Sam George and Others on the LGBTQI+ Bill

 

Hon. Sam George is the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the good people of Ningo Prampram in the Greater Accra region on the ticket of opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He is a friend and a Brother. We used to appear on various media platforms representing our political parties to debate on all matters of national interest.

The only difference between us is that he is a believer of the center left and a social Democrat. I am a center-right and a property-owning Democrat.

As I write this piece,

I am fully on the same wavelength with him because of his total commitment to prosecute a positive and morally upright bill into an Act of Parliament (law).

I shall stand by him. Support him, encourage him and pray for him and all other members who are determined to get this bill through.

Political differences are subsumed for the interest of our beloved country, Ghana. That should be the spirit, now.

The bill is christened the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.

The bill is simply known as LGBTQI+ Bill.
The bill was laid on the floor of the House on August 3, 2021, and was referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs for consideration and report.

The object of the bill is to criminalize the activities of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer, and intersex, as well as individuals and organizations that support their activities.

The bill will also make it a criminal offense to participate in any form of surgical service to enable gender reassignment or create a sexual other than the category of a person assigned at birth, except where the surgical procedure is to correct the biological anomaly, including intersex.

It states that anyone who breaches the impending law or undermines the provision is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years or both.

Reading the bill, I realized that it proscribes the promotion and advocacy activities directed at children. I praise Allah.
Thus, any person who used the media or electronic channels to produce, procure, market, broadcast, publish or distribute materials and information directly or indirectly at children with the intent to evoke the interest of the children inactivity could face a jail term.

The bill has some positive or humane clause for the accused. The accused persons would have access to medical help treatment and prohibit extrajudicial or inhumane treatment of persons accused of offenses under the bill.

Back to Sam George and his colleagues who initiated the bill namely, Hon Dela Sowah, Hon. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini, Hon. Helen Adjoa Ntoso, Hon. Rockson-Nelson Dafeamakpor (all NDC Members of Parliament) and the lone ranger from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) stock, Hon. Rev. John Ntim Fordjour well done. You deserve every applaud and support from us, the supporters of the bill.

Bill making is very expensive – cost, time, materials, research, consultancy, etc. for these honorable and distinguished Members to expend money and energy for the sake of ensuring the purity of our people, communities, and country, I say, Allah, richly bless them. In Islam, it can be described as a Jihad. The Holy War, not to kill or destroy but to bring positive and Godly reform for mankind. Promotion of proper human value falls in this remit.

I expect the Hon. Members of the House to put aside their political and parochial interests and pass this humanistic and moralistic bill.

I believe, this intended Act is to salvage our customs and traditions and also to protect the future of our young ones.

Our Hon. Members of the House should by now know that Ghanaians are not ready to accept anything but total outlawing of this sickening practice.

So we expect our representatives to do the needful by satisfying the overwhelming majority of the population, who want to see this bill passed into an Act or law.

I also believe that the President will walk his talks. He will assent to the bill to make it a law when Parliament passes it. He vowed that there was no way his government would support the practice of LGBTIQI+.
I trust my President.

I am confident that the passage of this bill into an Act of Parliament will be the beginning of the country’s ‘unification.’
Religiously, we are united, Socially, we gel together. Economically, we work together to improve upon our economy.

Once again, I commend the proponents of the bill led by Hon. Sam George for their initiative and commitment to see this bill through.

No authority should make any attempt to disturb or devalue our morals and traditions.

I also salute all Ghanaians who are backing this bill.

Imposition of cultures is not the way to go.
Amazingly, polygamy is illegal in the western world but same sex marriage is legal.Ha!

I rest my case.

By Ahmed Osumanu Halid
Nima 441.