An executive member of the Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values, Dr. Justice Appiah Kubi is contending that the Ghana LGBTQI+ Bill is not as harsh as the anti-LGBTQ law of Uganda.
In May, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni assented to what the media describes as the world’s harshest anti-LGBT bill because it allows the death penalty for homosexual acts.
Although the president asked that certain parts of the provisions from the original legislation be toned down, it retained some harsh measures such as the death penalty for certain same-sex acts and a 20-year sentence for “promoting” homosexuality.
Comparing this to Ghana’s LGBTQI+ bill, Dr. Appiah-Kubi maintained that although proponents of the bill are meant to prevent some of the "absurd" things that are being championed by the queer community, it has no intentions to harm people of the LGBT community.
“For the Ugandan one, as far as I know, there's death sentence. I mean, I can't speak for them. Nevertheless, what I believe strongly is that when it comes to our laws, in some way, somehow, as I said, it's very much to protect those strange cisgender and non-binary and pansexual.”
He further stated that the bill is tolerant enough to ensure that no harm befalls individuals in the queer community, although Ghanaians might not condone LGBT and its activities.
This level of tolerance, Dr. Appiah-Kubi emphasised, is reflective of the Ghanaian culture.
Additionally, he described the bill as a good one, explaining that, “the spirit of the bill wasn't necessarily to really hurt people who are into homosexuality, but really to prevent these absurd, LGBT things that are coming to nations and using political strategies, using UN, using the other CSOs” to champion their agenda.
Dr. Appiah-Kubi further assuaged some of the concerns that the passage of the legislation would give way to the abuse of people who identify as queer or people suspected to be queer.
He disclosed that the bill actually protects such persons against acts of violence in the community
“If you read the bill, the bill will tell you that anyone who take the law into his or her own hands and try to hurt somebody, that person, the law is also going to deal with him or her,” Dr. Appiah-Kubi stressed.
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