Anti-LGBTQ bill to address oral, anal sex issues – Ursula
Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister for Communication and Digitalisation on Wednesday said the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021” will address oral and anal sex issues.
She said anal sex was illegal regardless of the gender involved.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, also a New Patriotic Party (NPP), Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma West said when she contributed to the debate on the Bill on the floor of Parliament.
“Mr Speaker, for the avoidance of doubt and the information of all Ghanaians, oral sex, anal sex regardless of whether it is between woman and man, man and man or woman and woman is illegal under our law and so, if there is anybody who is practising oral sex or anal sex please note that what you are doing is against the existing law of this country,” she said.
The object of the Bill is to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian Family Values proscribe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and related activities.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful further called on women who were compelled by their husbands into engaging in oral and anal sex to report the incidents to the police for assistance.
“Mr Speaker, some wives have faced threats of divorce from their husbands for refusing to participate in such sexual acts.
“I will urge any woman or young girl being subjected to any such practice under the guise of heterosexual sex to know that what they are being asked to do is against and law and must seek help from the Police,” said.
“Mr Speaker, anal sex is unnatural carnal knowledge, use of sex toys is unnatural carnal knowledge,” she said.
The Motion of the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021” was moved on the floor of Parliament for a second reading by Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, a National Democratic Congress (NDC), MP for Ho West and it was supported by Rev John Ntim Fordjour, an NPP MP for Assin South.
Presenting the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs report, Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, the Chairman of the Committee and an NPP MP for Asante Akim Central, recommended the adoption of the report and passed it into law.
He said the Committee noted that most Ghanaians were in favour of the passage of the Bill.
“Mr Speaker, however, there are significant human rights concerns, which are worthy of consideration. Under Article 12(1) of the Constitution, all organs of the state, including the Executive, Judiciary and Parliament have a constitutional duty to respect and uphold the fundamental human rights enshrined under the 1992 constitution,” he said.
Mr Anyimdu-Antwi told the House that in light of the above constitutional imperatives, the Committee decided to seek the opinion of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice on the Bill and the Attorney-General’s concerns were duly considered.
Source: GNA