Passage of Anti-Gay Bill: It’s A sad day for Ghana’s Democracy – Audrey Gadzekpo
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Audrey Gadzekpo, the Board Chair of the Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has expressed her disappointment regarding the parliamentary approval of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 popularly known as the anti-gay bill.
The legislation imposes a ban on LGBT activities and makes their promotion, advocacy, and funding illegal.
Individuals found guilty of these acts could face a jail term ranging from 6 months to 3 years, while those who promote and sponsor these acts could be imprisoned for 3 to 5 years.
In an interview with Citi FM on Wednesday, Prof Gadzekpo emphasized that the bill infringes upon fundamental human rights safeguarded by the Constitution.
These rights include dignity, freedom of speech and association, procession participation, academic freedom, equality, and non-discrimination.
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She further asserted that the preservation of rights and freedoms was vital to constitutional democracy for which reason the bill was unwholesome.
“That is why we are saying that today is a sad day for democracy,” she added.
Audrey Gadzekpo also insisted that the anti-gay bill was passed for political reasons.
“I am telling you that they have passed it not for any reason but for political reasons. Mr Sam George the Chief proponent of the bill in 2015 when his candidate John Mahama was being accused of having a friend who was a homosexual sponsoring him etc etc. Sam George is on record saying that the constitution protects those rights.
“So I have to wonder why he changed his mind…What has changed? 10 years ago did he have a different morality from today, from 2021 when he proposed the bill.”
“That is why I am saying there is politics. They are walking over the bodies of vulnerable people,” she stated.
