LGBTQ Bill: Honouring invitation by UK Parliament unnecessary – Expert

A Senior Lecturer and Dean at the Institute of Local Governance, Fred Oduro, says members of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Ghana’s Parliament shouldn’t have honoured a meeting by the UK Parliament meeting over the anti-gay bill.

The LGBTQ community in Ghana mounted a billboard along the Tema Motorway to commemorate Pride Awareness Month.

The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George, called on the Inspector-General of Police to pull down the billboard mounted by members of the Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community in Ghana.

“We are by this, calling on the Inspector General of Police Dr. Akuffo Dampare, to immediately, within the next twenty-four hours, carry out the necessary security operations to ensure that this billboard, which is an affront to the 1992 Constitution, is taken down in conjunction with the MCE for the area. Failure to take action, as citizens we will take action as enjoined by the Constitution to defend the Constitution,” Sam George told pressmen.

The billboard was, however, removed after the backlash.

After the issue, the UK Parliament invited members of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Ghana’s Parliament to a meeting over the anti-gay bill and other matters.

The members of the committee are currently in the UK for the meeting.

Commenting on the issue with the host of Atinka FM’s AM Drive Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, Fred Oduro revealed that the members of the LGBTQ are being given “oxygen to breath”.

He insisted that the UK cannot dictate to the Ghanaian Parliament.

“This is an unnecessary adventure. I am disappointed that the MPs are even in the UK to honour the meeting… So don’t we have a priority in this country? We are giving this group so much room. These people mounted the billboard because they wanted to be discussed in the media, just like we are doing. It’s a ploy to get them back into the media,” Fred Oduro added.