• Akoto Ampaw says the LGBTQ+ debate is not about religious beliefs
• He is of the view that, the Private Member’s bill championing by some eight MPs is meaningless
• He is part of some eighteen individuals who are challenging the anti-LGBTQ+ bill
Lawyer Akoto Ampaw has bemoaned that the ongoing debate about whether or not LGBTQ+ activities should be criminalized, is not about religious beliefs.
According to him, the Private Member’s bill being led by some eight MPs is meaningless and reflects the mindset of those who produced it.
Akoto Ampaw indicated that, the anti-LGBTQ+ bill criminalizing someone who is either intersex or asexual is meanings and it, however, “shows the extremism of the mind frame that produced that bill.”
He told TV3’s Dzifa Bampoh on Key Points that, “First of all, I want to make the point clear that this debate is not about religious beliefs.
“Secondly, this debate is not about numbers. It is not lining up how many people support gays – 30million, how many people are against gay – 2million, that is not the issue.”
Akoto Ampaw added, “The fundamental issue has to do with our constitution and rights. That is the basic issue that we have to address.
“It is a bit gratifying that just recently the Majority leader in Parliament said that the matter will not be discussed on the basis of religious beliefs. I think that is a major step forward if that is how parliament is going to address this matter. It is a constitutional matter.”
Lawyer Akoto Ampaw is part of some eighteen renowned legal, academic and civil society professionals who have filled a memorandum challenging the anti-gay legislation submitted to Parliament.
In the memorandum, they contend that the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, which seeks to criminalise LGBTQ+ and adjacent activities, is an “impermissible invasion of the inviolability of human dignity.”
To push the anti-LGBTQ+ will be to challenge Ghana’s constitution and democracy, they also argued in the 18-page document.
The anti-LGBTQ+ bill which is currently before Parliament prescribes that people of the same sex who engage in sexual activity could spend up to 10 years in jail.
Support for the LGBTQ+ community would also be criminalised.