The newly appointed Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has suggested that some of his fellow MPs are hesitant to criticize the controversial anti-gay bill out of fear of reprisal. He implied that the way the bill was introduced has created a climate of fear among legislators, discouraging them from raising questions about it.
Afenyo-Markin also voiced apprehensions about the severity of the penalties outlined in the legislation, which he believes only exacerbates the apprehension among his colleagues. He asserted his willingness to speak out despite potential consequences, including losing his parliamentary seat.
The legislator from Effutu further raised doubts about the effectiveness of the proposed punishments for involvement in LGBT activities, questioning whether imprisonment would lead to any meaningful rehabilitation for offenders.
In an interview on The Point of View on Citi TV with Bernard Avle, Afenyo-Markin remarked, “The way the whole thing was introduced, it created some fear among legislators, that people think that if I dare question it, they will say that I’m supporting a man to marry a man or supporting a woman to marry a woman, so nobody wants to touch it. It’s a radioactive substance. But, If we pay attention to the details, we can come up with a law that will be acceptable to all.”
Earlier in February, Parliament approved the bill, which includes a three-to-five-year jail term for those actively promoting or sponsoring LGBTQ activities, with individuals caught engaging in such activities facing a sentence ranging from six months to three years.
During the bill’s amendment process, Afenyo-Markin expressed doubts about the rehabilitative value of such punitive measures.
Additionally, he raised concerns regarding the constitutionality of the proposed legislation, arguing that it contains significant legal flaws that may not hold up under judicial scrutiny.
