The Coalition of Muslim Organisations, Ghana (COMOG) has expressed its highest contentment with the passage of the anti-LGBTQI+ Bill by Parliament.
COMOG said it is happy that after three long years, effort towards proscribing the practice of LGBTQI+ in Ghana has been achieved.
The Coalition described the development as “an important milestone in the history of the Parliament of Ghana.”
Ghana’s Parliament on Wednesday, February 28 passed the anti-LGBTQI bill after successfully going through all three reading stages.
The Speaker, Alban Sumana Bagbin put the motion for the third reading before the House. At the end of the voice vote, he said, “the ayes have it.”
Parliament passes anti-LGBTQI bill
“COMOG therefore feels elated and vindicated for the long battle fought to ensure the passage of this bill into law. We are highly grateful to Allah for answering our prayers as a Muslim Organisation,” part of a press release signed by Mohammed Shamsudeen Shaibu, Chairman-Media and Research Committee COMOG reads.
The press release dated February 28 further noted that, “Having recognised the courageous contributions of our parliamentarians, we wish to commend them for listening to the aspirations of the people of Ghana. We specifically wish to crown the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin for standing his grounds in ensuring the passage of the bill as promised in one of our engagements last year. It is worthy of note that, COMOG in its long years of battle against the practice of LGBTQI+ conferred the title of “Saiful Lah” on the Speaker a few months ago on behalf of the Muslim Community just to encourage him, and also demonstrate the former’s resolve to remain faithful to the course.”
‘I am saddened’ – US Ambassador to Ghana on passage of anti-LGBTQ+ Bill | 3News
COMOG said, “Now that Parliament has demonstrated its altruistic disposition, it is our fervent hope that His Excellency the President will assent to the bill for it to become fully operational. We are not oblivious of the threats of withdrawing financial support to the state in the event of the passage by the Western World. We therefore wish to call on the government to consider seeking for such facilities from the Muslim Countries, which do not come with such draconian conditionality as that of the Briton woods.”