Amnesty International is kicking against attempts by Parliament to pass a law criminalising the activities of LGBTQ+ and other groups in the country.

This comes after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, in a response to a petition sent by a political activist, said urgent actions are being taken to pass a stringent law to nib the activities of LGBTQI+ and other groups in the bud in Ghana.

Mr Bagbin said stakeholder consultations are ongoing, and the results will feed into a Bill that will eventually be passed into law by the 8th Parliament.

He further stated that the phenomenon should not be encouraged or accepted by our society due to its eventual negative impact on society.

But, Country Director of Amnesty International, Frank Doyi, says they will oppose any law that seeks to discriminate against the rights of any minority group.

“Amnesty will stand up against any law that is targeted against individuals or a group of persons that would prevent them from enjoying their fundamental human right and freedom, which rights and freedoms have been guaranteed in the constitution.”

According to him “if laws are made to target the Minority group or a group of persons who are perceived to be members of the LGBT community and if those laws contradicts our own laws that provides for the enjoyment of that right, then Amnesty International will have an issue.”

Meanwhile, anti-gay rights advocates, National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Value and religious factions such as the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), National Peace Council, National Chief Imam have further advanced arguments for the government to dispel the ambiguity surrounding the laws on sexuality.

The persistent banter between the two schools of thoughts came to a halt when President Akufo-Addo openly declared his stance on the matter in February this year.

He said that legislation of same-sex marriage to become lawful is not a matter he will ever consider.

“I have said it before, and let me stress it again, that it will not be under the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo that same-sex marriage will be legal,” he stated.

Mr Bagbin also followed suit when he told the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Gregory Andrews that Ghana will never accept the LGBTQI+ practices.

Describing the group’s activities as an abomination, the Speaker said Parliament will not pass any legislation that will infringe on people’s human rights, however, he noted that the House will not legalise homosexuality.