A coalition of Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian traditional
leaders have sponsored the legislation, which is favored by
most lawmakers. It would punish the promotion of rights of those
who are lesbian, gay or other non-conventional sexual or gender
identities with up to 10 years in prison.
Gay sex is already punishable in the West African country by
up to three years in prison and that would rise to five years
under the bill.
Ruling-party lawmaker Alexander Afenyo-Markin withdrew his
proposed amendment after it was rejected on Wednesday. He had
argued that imprisoning people for LGBTQ offences would "worsen homosexuality and its promotion," which he said would defeat the bill's original intent.
FILE - A LGBTQ activist wearing a Ghana Pride shirt poses for a photo in a safe house, November 8, 2021.
The bill, one of the harshest of its kind in Africa, will
now be fine-tuned for a vote in parliament. If approved, it
would require presidential assent to come into force. President
Nana Akufo-Addo has not confirmed if he would sign the bill into law.
Promoters are seeking to have the bill passed by March.
Discussion of the proposed bill has heightened fears in an
LGBTQ community that already faces abuse and hostility, activists
say.
A 27-year-old lesbian and LGBTQ activist who asked not to be
named told Reuters that the community was in a panic as the bill
nears its passage.
"We would now have to be extra careful with our way of
life," she said.
The United Nations said in 2021 that the proposed law, The
Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family
Values, would create "a system of state-sponsored discrimination
and violence" against sexual minorities.
In May 2023, Uganda signed one of the world's toughest
anti-LGBTQ laws, including the death penalty for "aggravated
homosexuality." Activists said it unleashed a wave of abuse and
the World Bank suspended new funding to the country.