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President Akufo-Akufo-Addo has asked all parties involved to hold off on taking any further action on the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill enacted by Parliament until the Supreme Court rules on a challenge brought by an interested citizen.
The President said that it would be appropriate to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision in light of this recent development.
“I have learnt that, today, a challenge has been mounted at the Supreme Court by a concerned citizen to the constitutionality of the proposed legislation. In the circumstances, it would be, as well, for all of us to hold our hands, and await the decision of the Court before any action is taken,” the President wrote in a statement posted on Facebook by Director of Communication at the presidency, Eugene Arhin on March 4.
Read the full post by Eugene Arhin the Press Secretary to the president below:
The Anti-Gay Bill, also called as the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, was passed by Parliament on February 28.
Different parties have responded to this in different ways, including the diplomatic community.
In a press release, the Ministry of Finance begged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to sign the recently passed Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill into law.
The Ministry voiced worries about the possible negative impact on the nation’s ability to receive financial assistance from foreign institutions, specifically the Bretton Woods Institutions.
The Finance Ministry emphasized the risk of jeopardizing the anticipated US$300 million financing from the First Ghana Resilient Recovery Development Policy Operation (Budget Support) in a statement that was made public on Monday, March 4. The financing is currently awaiting parliamentary approval.
There’s concern that this funding might not be released if the bill becomes law. Furthermore, the ongoing discussions regarding the $300 million Second Ghana Resilient Recovery Development Policy Operation (Budget Support) may come to an end.
The Finance Ministry underlined that these possible consequences can lead to a large loss of financial resources, resulting in a funding shortfall in the budget for 2024. In order to tackle these obstacles, the ministry requested that the President meet with religious organizations to talk about the ramifications of signing the legislation and to build a strong alliance and structure for backing important development projects.
According to the news release, “The Presidency may have a structured engagement with local conservative forces such as religious bodies and faith-based organizations to communicate the economic implications of the passage of the ‘Anti-LGBTQ’ Bill and to build a stronger coalition and a framework for supporting key development initiatives that are likely to be affected.”
It was also suggested by the Finance Ministry that “the President may have to defer assenting to the Bill until the court rules on the legal issues tabled by key national stakeholders (CSOs and CHRAJ).”
This circumspect attitude is viewed as a calculated measure to reduce any financial risks and guarantee continued assistance from foreign partners.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
