Old Tafo MP Challenges Religious Leaders to Re-evaluate Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Amendments

Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, has issued a formal appeal to Ghana’s religious and traditional leaders to conduct a rigorous review of the latest amendments to the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

He contends that recent modifications to the legislation may have inadvertently introduced significant loopholes that undermine its original purpose.

In a public statement released on May 30, Assafuah specifically highlighted concerns regarding Clause 9 of the bill. He questioned whether the new changes actually strengthen the law or if they provide legal pathways for the promotion, propaganda, and advocacy of prohibited activities.

The recent amendments to Clause 9 introduce specific exemptions for professionals who interact with the LGBTQ+ community as part of their mandated duties. These new provisions cover a wide range of essential services:

• Lawyers providing legal representation or services to individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ are now exempt from potential sanctions.
• Media organizations and journalists reporting on LGBTQ+ news or current affairs in the normal course of their professional duties are protected.
• Mental health professionals, medical practitioners, and counsellors offering surgical, psychological, or medical care to these individuals are similarly exempted.

Assafuah believes that because the bill received overwhelming public backing from religious groups and traditional authorities, these leaders must ensure the final version remains faithful to those initial expectations. He argues that it is vital to verify if the revised text still aligns with the core moral and social goals that prompted the legislation’s introduction.

To facilitate this scrutiny before the bill reaches the stage of presidential assent, he has directly appealed to several influential bodies to conduct an independent assessment:

• The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana.
• The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council and the National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches.
• The Office of the National Chief Imam, alongside various traditional religious leaders.

The Parliament of Ghana passed this re-introduced version of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill on Friday, May 29, following extensive debates. As the legislation moves forward, the pressure continues to mount on stakeholders to determine if these latest amendments have fundamentally altered the law’s intended impact on Ghanaian society.

Also Read: Old Tafo MP Challenges Religious Leaders to Re-evaluate Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Amendments

Source: ghananewspage.com