Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo stated that "substantial elements" of a draconian anti-LGBTQ bill being considered by the country's parliament "have been amended modified."
Nana Akufo-Addo made the announcement Monday during a joint news conference with the vice president of the united states, Kamala Harris, who is visiting ghana
the west african president emphasized that the proposed law, framed in the pretence of "family values" and seeking to enact several strictest anti-LGBTQ laws on the African continent, was a private members' bill, not legislation introduced by his administration.
The inti-LGBTQ law was introduced into parliament by a member in august 2012. "The bill is going through the parliament. The attorney general has found it necessary to speak to the committee (the constitutional and legal committee of parliament) about the constitutionality … of several of its provisions. The parliament is dealing with it. At the end of the process, I will come in," the Ghanaian leader said.
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"My understanding … is that substantial elements of the bill have already been modified as a result of the intervention of the attorney general," Akufo-Addo said.
In addition to indicating that the bill may be watered down while amending it, Akufo-Addo stated that he is confident that the parliament will consider the bill's sensitivity to concerns about human rights as well as the emotions of the Ghanaian people and come out with an appropriate response.
Samuel Nartey George, one of the members of parliament who introduced the bill in parliament, has, however, differed with this stance and wants the bill to remain tough.
"The bill has not been substantially changed. The bill remains as tough and as rigid as it was," George told local media in a televised interview.
"When the bill is laid before the House (of parliament), you will realize that the focus of the bill which has to do with voiding (gay) marriages, preventing them from adopting or fostering children, the clampdown on platforms and media houses that are going to do promotion and advocacy or push those materials still remain enforced." he added.
