Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi and a proponent of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has explained that the Bill does not seek to criminalise adultery and fornication.

Addressing the Committee of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs during the second public hearing of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, the MP criticized the proposal by some people that adultery and fornication should be covered by the Bill.

Mr. Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor mentioned that the Bill cannot include such acts.

“Adultery is already provided under our matrimonial clauses act in Section 2 thereabout. If this House comes with a determination that you want to criminalize adultery, it is the right of the proponent to propose it and whether this House will adopt it that is fine.

But our bill is not addressing adultery, that is not the focus of this bill and nobody should pollute the focus of this bill with adultery,” he told the Committee.

Also responding to the suggestion, MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam George noted that the suggestion to include adultery and fornication cannot be considered by the proponents.

This, he explained is due to the fact that there are no groups of adulterers or fornicators advocating for their rights to commit such acts.

“Let’s be clear here. I have not come across any group of adulterers or fornicators who have formed a group and are asking for society to recognize their rights to adultery, so the apples are not oranges,” he noted.

Over 140 memos have been presented to the Committee so far regarding the Bill.

The Bill, if passed in its current state, will criminalise Lesbianism, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and their related activities.

The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has called for the swift passage of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, into law.

Meanwhile, the Concerned Ghanaian Citizens, a group opposing the passage of the Bill has described it as a violation of human rights, stressing that the Bill will promote hate against persons belonging to the LGBTQ+ communities.

They have therefore called for a rejection of the bill.