The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, has assured Ghanaians that LGBTQ+ activities will never be accepted in the country.
He says once the document passes through all the necessary parliamentary proceedings, government will ensure it goes through to become law.
The minister, who was addressing congregants of the Perez Chapel Sunday, December 31, 2023, said government was not against the Bill as a section of the public has perceived.
“So please listen to me a little bit. Some people want to hear the president. I am leading the charge in government so what I say is what the government is going to do.
“So, my brother [Sam George] don’t worry when it is in parliament, you know your people in parliament but I know it will come up but when it comes up we are there, we will take it up and do our part. So there is no fear at all,” he assured a congregation which included the sponsor of the bill, Samuel Nartey George.
Nicknamed Anti-Gay/LGBTQ Bill, the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values 2021 is set to criminalise the promotion, advocacy, funding and acts of homosexuality. It prescribes terms up to ten years in prison for LGBTQ+ advocates and three years for anyone identifying as such.
According to the Minister, despite the Bill being a Private Members’ Bill, government is backing it, so far as his ministry under whose purview the law falls, is concerned.
He urged the public to discard the notion that government is against the document.
“People think that we don’t back it in government, it is not true. We do, it was not initiated by the government but my brother [Sam George] started it. I am leading the charge on the government’s behalf and I am backing him. I am backing the churches, I am backing the Muslims, I am backing the traditional authorities. We do not want to see this gay matter or whatever in Ghana. Never, it won’t happen,” he said.
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