Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo has stated that “substantial elements” of a proposed anti-LGBTQ bill in parliament have been modified after the intervention of his government. The bill, which seeks to introduce some of the harshest anti-LGBTQ laws on the African continent, was introduced by a private member in August 2021. The proposed legislation has been criticized by human rights groups, who argue that it violates the rights of LGBTQ individuals.
While Akufo-Addo suggests that the bill may be watered down in the amendment process, one of the parliamentarians who introduced the bill, Samuel Nartey George, insists that the proposed law remains “rigid and tough.” The bill is currently being deliberated by the constitutional and legal committee of parliament.
It seems that there is a difference of opinion between the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, and one of the parliamentarians who introduced the anti-LGBTQ bill, Samuel Nartey George, regarding the extent of modifications made to the bill. While Akufo-Addo has suggested that “substantial elements” of the bill have been modified, George insists that the proposed law remains “rigid and tough.” The final version of the bill will be determined after parliamentary deliberations and sent to the President for assent.
