Sam George; other MPs sponsor bill to criminalize LGBTQI+ activities

Eight members of Ghana’s Parliament have jointly submitted a private bill to push for the criminalization of LGBTQI+ activities in the country.

The bill, which they term as a ‘Bill on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values’, was presented to Speaker, Alban Bagbin on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.

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

The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram constituency, Sam George, who led the MPs to make the presentation, said it “is a landmark legislation that has taken the last 14 weeks working with a fantastic team of professionals to put together. It is in my humble opinion a world-class piece of legislation which should be reference material for other Parliaments seeking to pass similar legislation.”

In recent times, the LGBTQI+ community in Ghana have featured prominently in news, especially after the arrest of 21 activists in the Volta Regional capital, Ho.

Prior to that, police officers raided a house at Ashongman in Accra that was being used as an office of LGBQI+ Rights and shelter for the LGBTQI+ community.

The two incidents reignited public debate on the subject with some legislators including the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, publicly declaring their interest in criminalizing all forms of LGBTQI+ activities.

The bill, presented to the Speaker, is the first major step taken towards the criminalization.