The Chairperson of Parliament’s Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has cautioned committee members to refrain from publicly commenting on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, popularly known as Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.

Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, in a yet-to-be aired edition of JoyNews’ The Probe, explained that the Committee has been tasked to review the controversial bill which has divided the country; as such, members should be responsible in their public utterance.

According to him, “taking a neutral position” over the Bill, which will soon be deliberated on, will ensure that lawmakers produce a conclusive and satisfactory work.

“As a committee in Parliament, we have not taken any position. This is because, it will create the impression that ‘The Chairperson that is supposed to be considering these principles, is taking a position to support this Bill’ so people will already know the outcome [of it],” he told host Emefa Apawu.

Also, the Asante Akyem Central legislator further disputed claims that the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee is being hypocritical for being mute over the ongoing debate.

He stressed that with the critical job at hand, the selection committee must be tactical in its conduct in order not to be partial.

In August, eight parliamentarians jointly submitted a private bill to push for the criminalisation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) activities in the country.

The proponents also want the promotion, advocacy, funding, and acts of homosexuality to be forbidden in the country.

Since the bill was made public, opposers have argued that should the bill be passed into law, it will be in violation of the fundamental human rights of individuals who identify with the group.

The bill is currently with the Parliamentary Committee that has since called on citizens to submit documents stating their positions on the bill.

Mr Anyimadu Antwi disclosed that so far, the committee has received over 124 memoranda from the public over the anti-LGBTQI+ Bill, which is currently before the House for consideration.

He further pledged that each and every one of the memoranda will be given equal attention in the deliberation of the Bill.

“It was not the last day yet, so we continue to receive, and that’s why I cannot add more. Even the day that the Committee would be sitting, if you bring a memo, we’d hear you.”

“This is a matter that has a public interest, and we’d want to hear from all angles, so the clerk put up a notice that people who are interested would actually sit up so that by the time parliament resumes, we can look at these and also have the time to read them,” he said.