Two civil society groups, the African Literary Club (ALIC) and the Millennium Muslim Women (MMW), have joined forces to demand an explanation from the 9th Parliament for the cause of the delays in the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.
In a statement jointly signed by Chief Suleyman Mande, ALIC Executive Council Member, who is also the Sarki Zango of Ablekuma-Oduman, and Ms Rashida Ibrahim, Secretary, Millennium Muslim Women and copied to the Modern Ghana News on Monday, stressed that leadership of Parliament owes the Ghanaian citizen an explanation on the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
“We also called on the Speaker of Parliament, leadership of the majority and minority and all Members of Parliament not to relent on their quest for the swift passage of the bill.
“We want parliament to continue to champion this cause by immediately putting the bill on the agenda of the business committee of parliament. We want parliament to take immediate and decisive action towards the passage of the bill.”
The two groups also called on the executive to take advantage of their “super majority” to move and take decisive action on the passage of the bill. “We believe the Ghanaian society is looking up to the legislature and the executive to work together for the passage of the bill.
ALIC and MMW also called on the media to continue with public education and sensitisation advocacy for the citizens to understand the tenets of the bill. “We must continue through a relentless public education to carry along the citizenry.
“We appreciate the work of civil society, non-governmental organisations, traditional and religious leaders, youth and women groups, the media, the academia, human rights advocates, and all other actors who are working towards the passage,” the statement stated.
The statement also commended the Catholic Bishops Conference, the Tijjaniya Muslims Movement of Ghana and other faith-based organisations who are playing leading roles in the public advocacy towards the passage.
The group applauded President John Dramani Mahama’s resolve to assent to the bill once parliament passes it in spite of international pressure on the government and the threat to withhold aid and other donor-assisted funding.
The groups affirmed their belief that safeguarding the Ghanaian traditional values is essential to maintaining the unique social fabric of Ghanaian society.
“Our culture and our literature are the guardians of our heritage. We cannot allow these to be eroded. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Tijjaniya movement, the Christian community, and the broader Ghanaian community in calling for the immediate legal protection of our family values,” the group stated.
The group stated that the protection of children and the sanctity of the home are non-negotiable rights that must be upheld.
“We urge the government to move beyond political deliberations and deliver on the legislative certainty the nation has overwhelmingly requested.
As organisations dedicated to the preservation of African cultural identity and the protection of the moral and religious foundations of our families, we view the reintroduction and swift finalisation of this bill as a matter of urgent national interest.
The African Literary Club and the Millennium Muslim Women also commended the Tijjaniya Muslims Movement of Ghana on its recent statement also appealing to Parliament and the President to immediately take action towards the passage of the bill.
“We wish to state unequivocally that our organisations align fully with the body and spirit of the Tijjaniya leadership’s statement. We echo their commendation of leaders who stand firm against external pressures and share their demand for the executive and legislature to work in harmony to ensure this bill becomes law without further delay,” the statement noted.
The African Literary Club was established on the foundation of African civilisation and human values and seeks, among others, to train and empower young Africans on literary activism characterised by debating, poetry reciting, public speaking, and dramatic acting on issues of national and international significance.
The Millennium Muslim Women is a grassroots organisation of Muslim women focused on empowering the family unit and upholding Islamic and traditional Ghanaian values in contemporary society.
