Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Ghana’s MPs threaten to retaliate visa denial over anti-LGBTQ+ bill

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Elvis Adjetey
Elvis Adjetey
Elvis Adjetey is an experienced African journalist who has worked with top media brands in Ghana where he is based.

Some Ghanaian lawmakers are livid about their alleged visa denial by some embassies in the country over an anti-LGBTQI bill which seeks to curtain gay rights.

The bill which is being sponsored by some MPs with support of some religious bodies seeks to criminalize all same sex related activities including activism.

The country’s Minority lawmakers have confirmed that the move has not gone down well with some members of the Western diplomatic community, leading to visa denial of some MPs.

Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak told journalists that Parliament is aware of plans to deny lead advocates of the anti-LGBTQ bill travel visa by foreign embassies in the country.

He warned the diplomatic community that no amount of intimidation and threats will stop the MPs from passing the anti-LGBTQ bill pending before the house.

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Mubarak has planned to lead a demonstration for closure of any travel visas because of their advocacy for LGBTQ+ activities in the country to be criminalized.

“It’s against the constitution of Ghana for any member of parliament to be punished for expressing his or her opinion on national issues in the house of parliament. So, therefore, no embassy can punish any MP in this country to kowtow to their wish’’, he said.

Retaliatory actions

Some lawmakers including the Minority chief whip have also hinted that Ghana must also retaliate by denying citizens of the said Western countries visas.

According to Muntaka Mubarak, the retaliatory actions could also lead to the boycott of the goods and services of Western owned businesses which are operating in Ghana.

“International diplomacy should not be about threats. It is about dialogue. I kay disagree with you on one issue but we will have so many other issues that we agree on.

So don’t make it a headmaster student relationship. We have our rights as parliamentarians to pass every law that we think will be in the best interest of our citizens”, he noted.

The issue of homosexuality is very controversial in most African countries, where there is very little support for such rights.

 

UN Human Rights Council criticizes Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill

 

Source: Africafeeds.com

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