Proposed changes to Clause 9 of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, also known as the anti-LGBTQ bill, have been fiercely opposed by the Minority in Parliament.
The amendment aims to eliminate penalties for those who give legal counsel or representation to people who identify as LGBT.
Additionally, it suggests exemptions for media outlets and journalists covering LGBT-related news or current events in the regular course of their employment, as well as for specialists providing such people with medical, surgical, psychological, or counselling treatments.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga stated in a speech in parliament on Friday, May 29, that the proposed amendments are meant to narrowly define exemptions in the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 in order to prevent routine activities and professional services from being construed as endorsing LGBT activities.
“The Media raised strong issues because they think that we are violating the right to free expression. Professionals such as lawyers raised strong issues that we are violating their professional freedom, and violating the rights of people to legal services,” he said
So what the committee is trying to do is to narrowly set out those exceptions where, when you speak, you will not be considered as promoting or supporting LGBT.” he added.
“These are the people sponsoring, supporting, pro- making sponsoring, making these activities rather attractive behind the scenes and even sometimes overtly. And so if I find it highly problematic, any attempt by this house to push any of these exceptions in, we will resist it. And if the house will use their majority numbers to push it through, I, as a sponsor, will advise myself accordingly” he said.
Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the MP for Assin South and the Bill’s sponsor, and Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, the MP for Bosome-Freho, contend that the proposed modifications imply the version of the Bill that former President Akufo-Addo submitted for assent was not sufficiently appropriate for its intended use.
Source: newsthemegh.com