Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has accused the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) of strategically undermining the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in its efforts to pass the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill. Ayariga claims the NPP’s concerns during the bill’s parliamentary consideration were not aimed at legislative improvement but at creating obstacles for the governing party.
Opposition’s Alleged Motives
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, June 2, Ayariga stated that NPP’s interventions were a “pretext to try and create something wrong with the bill.” He alleged that some opposition members doubted the NDC’s commitment or ability to pass the bill, despite holding a parliamentary majority.
“They did not believe that the NDC will pass such a bill,” Ayariga explained. “And so they were hoping that the NDC doesn’t pass the bill. Then, as we approach elections, they will now tell Ghanaians that the NDC deceived them and even with our numbers in Parliament, we have not passed the bill when we promised Ghanaians.”
NDC’s Stated Commitments
The Majority Leader asserted that the NDC has met its promises to Ghanaians regarding legislation on LGBTQ+ activities and their promotion. He outlined these commitments as passing a law prohibiting LGBTQ+ practices, prohibiting their promotion, disallowing same-sex marriage recognition, and punishing those who lure children into such practices or finance their promotion.
“Those are the key commitments that we made to the Ghanaian public,” Ayariga stated. “And if you take the bill, all those are clearly stated. They are defined as offences and nobody will go scot-free if caught engaged in any of these things.”
Context of the Bill’s Passage
Mr. Ayariga’s comments emerge amidst ongoing scrutiny of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin recently directed the House to revisit the bill’s passage.
This directive followed concerns raised about whether all necessary parliamentary procedures were followed adequately before the bill received its initial approval. The debate highlights the complex political dynamics and procedural questions surrounding the controversial legislation.
Implications for Future Legislation
The accusations from the Majority Leader suggest a heightened level of political strategy and potential distrust between the two major parties in Parliament. The outcome of the review of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill and the underlying procedural debates could set precedents for how future contentious legislation is handled.
Further parliamentary deliberations will be closely watched to see how these procedural concerns are addressed and whether they impact the bill’s final form or its eventual passage. The political narratives surrounding the bill’s journey also remain a key factor as general elections approach.
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