The political temperature in Parliament rose sharply this week as the Minority Caucus leveled strong accusations against the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), alleging that the party used the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill, as campaign bait in the 2024 general elections, only to retreat from their commitment once in power.
At a press conference themed “Holding Government to Account,” Minority Leader and Effutu MP, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, did not mince words. He told the gathered media that the NDC and its Members of Parliament had openly promised voters that the bill would be swiftly passed and signed into law if they won the presidency. “But after assuming office, that promise has been left unfulfilled,” Afenyo-Markin said.
The Minority Leader argued that the government’s current hesitancy stands in stark contrast to its campaign rhetoric, especially as public debate swirls around the recent controversy involving LGBTQ-related content in the Senior High School curriculum, an incident the government has since described as an error.
Afenyo-Markin also challenged President John Dramani Mahama’s recent assertion that further consultation is needed to refine the bill. He described this as a “play on words” and accused the NDC of inconsistency, recalling that the party had previously insisted the law was ready to be passed.
According to Afenyo-Markin, even attempts by Minority MPs to advance the bill through a private member’s motion have been sidelined by the Majority leadership using procedural maneuvers. “When the Mighty Minority members decided through a private members’ bill to now pin them to their own principles, suddenly, after all the processes had been followed, the NDC, through its Majority leader, found a way of using procedure to claim there was no such approval by the Speaker,” he lamented.
He maintained that the NDC’s actions suggested the bill was used as a tool to win political favor, and now, facing the complexities of governance, the party was looking for an exit. “We hold the view that the NDC used the Anti-LGBTQ law only for power, and now that they are facing reality, they want to find a way of running away from it. We will insist that they act by their own principle,” Afenyo-Markin declared.
The accusation has reignited debate about the future of the controversial bill, with the Minority vowing to hold the government accountable and ensure it honors its campaign promises.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
