Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has dismissed speculation surrounding the controversial Anti-LGBTQ Bill before Parliament, insisting that the bill will be passed when the House reconvenes.
According to him, several Members of Parliament who supported the bill promoted it in the House, leading to its passage under the previous government.
Speaking at the Speaker’s Parliamentary Decentralisation Programme on Saturday, April 11, the Speaker said, “I’m not a man of words. I’m a man of action. That is how we got it passed in Parliament.”
He urged the public to ignore what he described as misinformation about proceedings in Parliament.
“Don’t listen to people who don’t know what is in Parliament. Please, I repeat, don’t listen to people who don’t know what is in Parliament,” he said.
The Speaker explained that the bill had already gone through all the required stages in Parliament and is set to be finalised.
“We started, and we processed it. It has gone through all the stages, and the next meeting of Parliament will see us passing that bill into law,” he stated.
He referred to the earlier decision by the former President not to assent to the bill after it was first passed, distancing himself from that outcome.
“But for some reason, the President did not assent to it. …I’m sure one of the reasons why you punished him and his party is one of these,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the bill will receive presidential approval this time.
“His Excellency the President assured me that when we pass the bill, and it comes to him, he is going to assent to it,” he disclosed.
Speaker Bagbin further criticised what he described as “rumour mongers” and political actors spreading false narratives about the legislative process.
“Please leave the rumour mongers. They can play that kind of bad politics. That is not what we are here for,” he said.
The Speaker added that Parliament remains focused on its mandate and guided by its own principles.
“Our culture, values, and principles are different,” he noted, saying the need to resist negative influences.
“We resist it today. We will not be colonised again. That is gone. It’s history,” he said.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com