Ghana Closer to Passage of Harsh Anti-Gay Law after Consideration Phase Amendments

By Melanie Nathan, Feb 09, 2024, COUNTRY CONDITIONS EXPERT WITNESS FOR LGBTQI+ ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM GHANA. AND OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Yesterday, Ghana's Parliament completed the Consideration Stage of the anti-LGBTQ Bill, moving it closer to passage. All 25 Clauses of the draft law have been reviewed.

However, due to numerous proposed amendments that were adopted, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, along with Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson, urged Chairman Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, the bill's sponsors, and the drafters to refine and finalize the content before presenting it for final consideration and passage during the Third Reading.

Consideration Stage of the anti-LGBTQI Bill: The screenshots present the original Bill. Plus we have included some amendments. ALL amendments will be uploaded when a clean version of the Bill is available. In the meantime it can be confusing. We have added what is below merely to present as an historic record, however urge all to wait for the final bill for clarity.

Clause 4 (Prohibition against subverting Ghanaian family values): 4 of 25

Status: Agreed to (Amendments accepted; Clause will be part of the anti-LGBTQ Bill)

Clause 6 (Prohibition of LGBTTQQIAAP+ and Related Activities): 6 of 25

Status: Agreed to (Will form part of the Bill)

Clause 8 (Detention with intent commit prohibited sexual activities), 8 of 25

Status: Agreed to (Proposed amendments accepted; Will form part of the Bill)

Clause 9 (Keeping a brothel for a prohibited sexual activity), 9 of 25

Status: Agreed to (Proposed amendments accepted; Will form part of the Bill)

If passed into law this Clause would empower landlords, hotels, etc, to stop giving out or renting their spaces to LGBTQ people.

Clause 10 (Prohibition of gross indecency ), 10 of 25

Status: Agreed to (Proposed amendments accepted; Will form part of the Bill)

Clause 11 (Void Marriage), 11 of 25

Status: Agreed to (Proposed amendments accepted; Will form part of the Bill)

Clause 12 (Prohibition of propaganda of, promotion of and advocacy for activities prohibited under this act), 12 of 25 Status: Stood down (not concluded)

Clause 13 (Prohibition of propaganda of, promotion of and advocacy for activities directed at a child ), 13 of 25 Status: Agreed to ((proposed amendments accepted, will form part of the Bill)

Anti-LGBTQ Bill: Crossdressing for comic, drama performances won't be criminalised under Clause 10 . Crossdressing TikTokers, skit makers are safe. Anti-LGBTQ Bill: The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and sponsor of the Bill, Sam George have clarified that "intentional crossdressing" which is being criminalised doesn't include crossdressing for comic, drama performances

Consideration Stage of the anti-LGBTQ Bill yesterday in Parliament:

Clause 10 (Prohibition of gross indecency), 10 of 25. Status: Agreed to (Proposed amendments accepted; Will form part of the Bill). X or Twitter? As part of the proposed amendments to Clause 13 in the anti-LGBTQ Bill, this is how MPs debated and finally arrived at X as part of technological platforms (Facebook, X, Instagram, etc), other new media and traditional media, where pro-LGBTQ content will be banned