Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has restated his opposition to custodial sentences for gay activities while expressing support for the overall principles of the anti-gay bill.

Parliament recently approved a bill prescribing three-to-five-year jail terms for those promoting or sponsoring LGBTQ activities, with a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 3 years for those engaged in such acts.

During the clause-by-clause amendment of the bill, Afenyo-Markin emphasized that punitive measures wouldn't contribute to the rehabilitation of offenders. In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM with Umaru Sanda Amadu, he argued that enacting a law entrenching custodial sentences, especially for homosexual acts, was too harsh.

Afenyo-Markin clarified, "I support aspects of the bill, I oppose aspects of it. I am not against the principle, the object of the bill. In this day and age where the country’s judiciary thinking is towards a non-custodial sentence. We cannot enact a law that seeks to entrench custodial sentences. After all, it is about somebody’s sexuality, and we have to be very careful as a country not to be going into emotions when enacting a law."

He further emphasized the need for empathy, questioning whether one would advocate sending a family member to jail based on their sexual orientation.