Anti-LGBTQ is not gov’t-sponsored – Akufo-Addo distances himself from bill

President Akufo-Addo has disassociated himself from the anti-gay bill that is currently being considered by parliament.

Speaking at the Jubilee House during a joint press brief with the U.S Vice President, Kamala Harris, on Monday, March 27, 2023, he clarified that his administration has no hand in the proposed Bill.

“The Legislation was 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 rooted by a handful of private members,” he said.

His comment was in response to a question posed by a New York Times journalist who was inquiring about the position of the US government on Ghana’s proposed LGBTQI Bill during the joint press conference with the US Vice President and President Akufo-Addo.

Kamala Harris in response noted that the subject of the LGBTQI is an issue of Human Rights, thus, the US government prefers to treat it as such.

“A great deal of my work has been on human rights issues and equality across the board including the LGBTQ community. I believe strongly in supporting freedom and providing equality to all people and that all people be treated equally. I will also say that this is an issue I consider to be a human rights issue and that will not change,” she said.

Reacting to the same question, President Akufo-Addo dismissed assertions that an anti-gay bill has been passed in the country.

“We don’t have any such legislation in Ghana. A Bill has been proposed to the Parliament of Ghana which has all kinds of ramifications which is now being considered by the Parliament. It hasn’t been passed so the statement that there is Legislation in Ghana to that effect is not accurate. No legislation.

He added that “the bail is going through the Parliament [and] the Attorney has found it necessary to speak to the committee about it regarding the constitutionality, otherwise, of several of its provisions and the Parliament is dealing with it.

“At the end of the process I will come in but in the meantime the Parliament is dealing with it. And then I have no doubt that the Parliament of Ghana will show as it’s done in the past, first of all its sensitivity to human rights issues as well as to the feelings of our population and we’ll come out with the response to the proposed Bill,” he added.