Civil society groups are exerting pressure on President Akufo-Addo to reject the newly passed anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

According to the group, the bill was unnecessary as some of the issues it seeks to tackle are already catered for in various criminal laws.

Speaking on behalf of the Civil Society Group on JoyNews’ The Pulse, Board Chair of CDD-Ghana, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, said“ We are not prevaricating, we are against the entire bill. We say the bill is not necessary because some of the provisions that I think make people say yes, we need a bill like that have already been catered for in our criminal law."

“For example, paedophilia so Honorable Afenyo Markin said as you can see he is not touching paedophilia, he thinks that pedophilia should be punished and he is right. Paedophilia should be punished but we have already a criminal code that punishes paedophilia. It addresses paedophilia.”

She argued that regarding the issue of homosexuality, portions of the criminal code already address it. Therefore, she could not understand the need to propose another bill to punish people believed to be involved in the act.

“We even already have the act that is interpreted as homosexuality. That act which says unnatural carnal knowledge, the criminal code already has it.

"So, if we don’t want people to be having sex in unnatural ways including oral sex which is in this bill then there is already a law in our criminal code inherited from our colonial masters who introduced it that it should be the case. So, exactly what is the issue?,” she added

• Read also: Parliament unanimously passes Anti-LGBTQ+ bill

Early on Wednesday, after nearly three years of deliberation, Parliament finally passed the highly contentious Anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

The bill, introduced in the house through a private members' bill, was approved unanimously following the completion of the third reading.