The former Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay has expressed strong disapproval of the passage and assent of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, commonly referred to as the anti-LGBTQ bill, citing its negative consequences.
He explained that his stance against the proposal for the assent and passage of the bill stemmed from the belief that it was an unnecessary and insignificant issue in the country.
Speaking in an interview on GHOne TV, Freddie Blaystated: “I don’t agree that they should assent to it. My position on LGBTQ issues has been that they are unnecessary. It has not been a significant problem in this country. We have strong cultures and subcultures, and while individuals may occasionally step out of line with our strong beliefs, the laws of this country adequately address these issues.”
“The LGBTQ movement has been championed by some people who previously dismissed it. Now, many of them are in power and have come to Parliament. Let them push it, and if it doesn’t pass, it will be brought back again. Let the new president decide whether to assent to it,” he added.
Freddie Blay pointed out the potential implications on the country’s economy and international relations and urged President Akufo-Addo not to assent to the bill.
“Let the new president decide whether to assent to it. If I were Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I wouldn’t do that because our development partners have indicated that they view it as an abuse of human rights. If we go ahead and assent to it, they may apply sanctions and withhold assistance. I take this very seriously because if the IMF and other partners don’t provide the help we need because they think it’s an affront to human rights, we stand to lose.”
“We stand to create serious problems for ourselves and our economy,” Blay said.
Blay also criticised the promotion of LGBTQ rights by some members of Parliament, many of whom he claimed previously dismissed the movement but now champion it due to their positions of power.
He urged those advocating for the legislation to exercise patience, as they would soon have the opportunity to take action.
“Those who are convinced about it, mainly from the opposition, should wait. The time will come for them to support it, bring it back, and let it become law. However, I wouldn’t assent to it, not because I’m avoiding reality, but because I am opposed to LGBTQ+ issues.”
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