Former MP Opposes Legislation, Citing Harshness and Potential Division
Former Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Samia Yaba Nkrumah, has appealed to President Akufo-Addo not to sign into law the Bill on Human Sexual Rights and Family Values, known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, recently passed by Parliament on February 28, 2024.
The Bill aims to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities and prohibit their promotion, advocacy, and funding, with penalties ranging from 6 months to 3 years of imprisonment for offenders and 3 to 5 years for promoters or sponsors of such activities.
Samia Nkrumah, speaking to the Daily Graphic, criticized the Bill as excessively “harsh and unjust.” She expressed concerns that the legislation could lead to division, a consequence she vehemently opposes.
“I pray the President does not sign it, or assent to it. I believe it is a brutal, harsh and unjust law, and we don’t need it. We are against rape, paedophilia, against all these situations that people seem to be terrified of gays and I think we need to educate ourselves. But most importantly, I don’t support anything that brings division and torments the people of Ghana. We are all Ghanaians, and we need to protect and take care of each other.”