By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members (MP) in Ghana’s Parliament have indicated that they will reject any Bill that will is put up for voting until the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill is passed.
The action of the Minority NDC MPs is a result of what they believe is an attempt to delay the passage of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill which is referred to by many as the “Anti-Gay Bill” that is currently before the House.
MP for Asawase Constituency in the Ashanti Region who doubles as the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak gave the caution on the floor of the Parliament, Wednesday, June 8, 2002.
According to the Asawase Lawmaker, until the anti-gay Bill is passed, even if the government introduces a Bill that seeks to bring water to his Constituents, the NDC MPs will oppose it.
Alhaji Muntaka explained that since the anti-gay Bill was introduced, several other Bills have come to Parliament and been passed by the House.
He suspected a deliberate attempt by some functionaries not to approve the Bill.
“So far, as this Constitution is concerned when we introduce a Bill in this House and it is before the Committee we must not spend more than three months without coming to tell us reasons why it has to go beyond the three months.
“…Since this is a matter that the Chair of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs wants to use to delay the Bill, that Bill was in this House before several other Bills, I can assure you that any other Bill introduced in this house, we shall resist it. Even if it is to provide water in Asawase we will resist it.
“We will make sure that that bill, as long as it stays there no other Bill passes through this House.”