Speaker reiterates calls for urgency to pass anti-gay bill

Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has urged sponsors of the anti-gay bill and members of parliament to quickly consider the bill and make necessary amendments for passage.

Before Parliament went to recess in December last year, the speaker mentioned this particular bill needed to be passed before the next Parliament.

However, considering the bill for the second time, the second deputy majority chief whip raised concerns that the main sponsors of the bill were not present on the floor, hence the motion could not be moved for the necessary amendments.

But the minority chief whip opposed the idea that members could proceed with the amendments without the sponsors present.

The Speaker therefore noted that any obstruction by members to hinder the passage of the bill will not be tolerated.

“Honourable member, I don’t want to have any impression or perception that there is a deliberate attempt to delay the passage of this bill. I don’t want to have that”, the speaker emphasized.

The speaker therefore proceeded to call for proposed amendments and considerations.

Meanwhile, some proposed amendments from the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, were withdrawn after the House voted against two of the proposals, which demanded a replacement of imprisonment with community service for persons found to engage in LGBT activities.

Alexander Afenyo-Markin also withdrew his new amendment which was seeking mandatory counselling on human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values as a post-conviction sentence.

Source:myrepubliconline