National Peace Council Says It Will Remain Neutral In Ongoing Anti-LGBT Debate

• The National Peace Council says it will remain neutral in the ongoing discussion about the Anti-LGBT bill
• The Chairman of the Council, Rev Adu-Gyamfi said their neutrality is important to ensure they remain an impartial arbiter should a conflict arise as a result of the bill
• President Akufo-Addo is yet to assent to the bill

Chairman of the National Peace Council, Reverend Dr Eric Adu-Gyamfi says the Peace Council will remain neutral in the ongoing debate about the Anti-LGBTQ bill.

According to the Chairman, the Peace Council is a mediator and must remain impartial in all state matters, the Anti-LGBT bill included.

Therefore, he said, the Council has not taken a stance on the matter.

He noted that their neutrality is important to ensure that they are seen as an impartial arbiter should a conflict arise as a result of the bill in the future.

Read also

Catholic Bishops' Conference says prison terms for gay people not enough: "Reform them too"

Rev Adu-Gyamfi said his outfit will be monitoring the situation as it unfolds.

“We don’t have a position on the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill because we are mediators, we don’t take sides on issues like this.”

“We are waiting to see how things will unfold, so we know whether to mediate or intervene in the event of a conflict,” Rev Adu-Gyamfi said in an interview on TV3.

Ghana’s parliament unanimously passes anti-gay bill

Parliament on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, passed the controversial Anti-LGBTQ bill nearly three years after it was first proposed.

It was passed following a unanimous voice vote.

The bill will now be forwarded to President Nana Akufo-Addo for his assent.

Among other things, persons who identify as LGBTQ or engage in same-sex acts could be jailed between three months and three years.

Read also

“Diversity and inclusion are values that the IMF embraces”: IMF reacts to passage of anti-LGBTQ bill

Open allies of the LGBTQ such as donors, activists, or promoters, could be jailed between a minimum of three months and a maximum of six months in jail.

During deliberations, Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin reiterated his opposition to jailing people because of their sexuality.

Coalition of 18 CSOs threaten to go to court should Akufo-Addo assent to the bill

YEN.com.gh has reported that President Akufo-Addo is under intense pressure to assent to the bill from both proponents of the bill and the religious community.

However, a coalition of some 18 civil society organisations say the President should not allow the bill to become law.

They say the bill poses a major threat to the country’s democratic dispensation and threatens violence on ordinary Ghanaians.

They say if all else fails, they will head to court to have the bill quashed once and for all.

Read also

CHRAJ boss slams Sam George, threatens legal action if Akufo-Addo assents to Anti-LGBT bill

Source: YEN.com.gh