Rightify Ghana, a human rights advocacy group in Ghana, has slammed the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, over his assertion that the acceptance of LGBT+ in South Africa is the main reason the country has the highest crime rate in Africa.
In a post shared on X, on Sunday, March 3, 2024, Rightify Ghana described the statement by the Ningo-Prampram legislator as narrow-mindedness and unsubstantiated.
The group added that Sam George has on several occasions made similar comments to perpetuate his hatred for homosexuals.
“This bigoted statement lacks any basis in fact or evidence, echoing his other hateful arguments against the LGBTQ community.
“Sam George, notorious for his vile behaviour and relentless anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, has once again made baseless allegations. As the main sponsor of Ghana's recently passed anti-LGBTQ Bill, his statements serve to perpetuate hate and discrimination, devoid of any factual evidence,” Rightify Ghana wrote on X.
What Sam George said:
The MP, in an interview with Nigeria-based News Central TV, on March 3, 2024, while defending the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, (the Anti-LGBT+ Bill) recently passed by the Parliament of Ghana, asserted that homosexual activities lead to an increase in crime.
He cited South Africa, which has passed legislation supporting LGBT+ activities, as an example of a country where crime is on the rise because of homosexual activities.
“Even on the African continent, which country has the highest crime rate? South Africa. Why? Because they've embraced homosexuality.
“It's one of the growing factors in that country. Look at every country that has embraced this and look at what has happened to their crime rate. This has ripple effects on society as a whole,” he said.
Sam George added, “We're not going to import the sickness and troubles of another country. We've got enough on our hands in Ghana and in Africa.”
About the passage of the anti-gay bill:
The Parliament of Ghana, on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, passed the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the Anti-LGBT+ Bill.
The bill, currently awaiting presidential assent, proscribes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) activities and criminalizes their promotion, advocacy, and funding.
Persons caught in these acts will be subjected to a six-month to three-year jail term, with promoters and sponsors facing a three to five-year jail term.
The bill will now require presidential assent to come into force within 7 days.
However, if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo refuses to assent to the bill, parliament, by a two-third majority vote, can approve it into law.
View the post plus Sam George’s remarks below:
Sam George, the main sponsor of Ghana's recently passed anti-LGBTQ Bill, has alleged that South Africa has the highest crime rate in Africa due to embracing homosexuality.
— Rightify Ghana (@RightifyGhana) March 3, 2024
This bigoted statement lacks any basis in fact or evidence, echoing his other hateful arguments against... pic.twitter.com/jNxK9ba8rn
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