South Dayi MP Nelson Defeamekpor has refuted claims made by President Akufo-Addo that significant portions of the Anti-LGBTQ bill have been modified.
President Akufo-Addo during a joint press briefing with US Vice President, Kamala Harris at Jubilee House on Monday said some modifications had been done to significant portions of the bill by the Attorney-General.
Adding that, the final outcome of the said modifications is yet to be determined.
“My understanding with the recent discussion I had with the chairman of the committee is that substantial elements of the bill have already been modified,” he stated while responding to a question from a New York Times journalist.
However, in responding to the claim, Mr Defeamekpor who is also a member of the committee stated that the President’s claims are unfounded.
He said very few changes have been done to the bill and that the bill still maintains its essence.
“Now another propaganda [that] has been put out is that the bill has been watered down, it’s been diluted, not at all. They should be rest assured the bill has not been diluted,” he said on JoyNews’ PM Express.
According to him the only changes the Attorney General had suggested were the removal of ‘proper’ from the bill’s official name and the reduction of the number of years assigned to offences from five years to three years in line with already existing laws on a misdemeanour.
Meanwhile, Akufo-Addo has assured the international community that Ghana’s parliament will consider the sensitivity of the human rights aspect in relation to the bill which international observers have described as draconian.
“The legislation is a legislation that is being proposed as a Private Members Bill. This is not an official legislation of the government but it is one that is being mooted by a handful of private members,” President Akufo-Addo clarified.
Latest Stories
- Benin petrol prices soar as Nigeria moves to end subsidy
57 seconds - Funding for social intervention programmes could be cut if reforms are not implemented – World Bank Country Director
4 mins - Many Ghanaian girls have made sex cheap – Akuapem Poloo
10 mins - Bill Cosby faces new sexual assault lawsuit from former Playboy model
23 mins - Newly commissioned Catechist dies during Communion Service at Gowrie
28 mins - Coronation of King Charles III: How UK in Ghana marked the event
34 mins - NPA to commence prosecution of criminal acts under NPA Act 691
54 mins - Drive Safe Campaign: Accra-Tema Motorway Emergency Response & First Aid Post abandoned
55 mins - GBC staff issue one-week ultimatum over cancelled allowances
57 mins - US Embassy to help scale up Zipline’s operations after its impact in Ghana
1 hour - Lack of transparency and accountability may force us to cut support to School Feeding Programme – World Bank
1 hour - Referees’ body PGMOL condemns abuse directed at Europa League final referee
1 hour - Pensioner Bonds: Government promises to clear all 5 outstanding coupons immediately
1 hour - Vodafone Ghana boss Patricia Obo-Nai recognised among top women CEOs in Africa
1 hour - Perez Chapel’s Agyinasare given 14 days to appear before Nogokpo traditional leaders
2 hours