Anti-LGBTQI bill gets a scalpel: health and rights bodies may be exempted, because even a controversial law needs room to treat, not punish.
After the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee heard concerns from stakeholders, Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine has suggested that some parts of Clause 11 of the anti-LGBTQI bill currently before Parliament should not apply to certain important public institutions, such as health and human rights bodies. The Ghana AIDS Commission, CHRAJ, and other health advocacy groups said that the way the bill is written could make it harder for them to do their jobs, especially when it comes to educating the public about health issues and protecting human rights. Mahama Shaibu, the chairman of the committee, said that the proposed exemption clause is meant to make sure that these organizations can keep doing their legal duties. He also said that the committee will look at the proposal along with other legal interpretations to make sure it fits with the bill’s goals. There is still disagreement about which ministry should be in charge of putting the bill into effect. Some lawmakers, like Gushegu MP Alhassan Tampuli, say that the Attorney General should be in charge because the bill has criminal implications. However, Shaibu made it clear that even though all legislative instruments go through the Attorney General’s office for review, this does not decide who is responsible for carrying them out. He stressed that the bill should stay under the policy direction of the right ministry.
