Anti-LGBTQ+ bill: “Speaker went beyond expressing disagreement and rather pronounced judgment” – Majority

Speaker Alban Bagbin has come under fire from the majority in Parliament for the way he characterized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his response to the letter the President’s secretary sent to the Parliament over the anti-gay law.

Speaker Bagbin has informed President Akufo-Addo that he is deviating from accepted democratic procedures by declining to accept the anti-gay bill’s transmission to his office.

The Speaker said that the President’s actions are weakening the cooperative governance ideal of respect for all branches of government.

“The behaviour exhibited by the Presidency in refusing to accept the transmission of this bill not only deviates from established democratic practices but also undermines the spirit of cooperative governance and mutual respect for the arms of government.

“This is a principle that forms the cornerstone of our political system. Such actions, if left unchecked, risk setting dangerous precedents that threaten the integrity and functionality of our democratic institutions,” he said this on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, March 20 while responding to the letter written to the House by the President’s Secretary Nana Bediatuo Asante asking the Clerk of parliament not to remit the bill to the president.

He added “In alignment with our constitutional mandates and the principles of good governance, it is essential for the President to adhere to the lawful course of action by accepting the transmission of the bill. Upon receipt, the President has the constitutionally provided options to assent to the bill, refuse it, or seek further consultation, as deemed necessary. As we move forward, it is the collective responsibility of all branches of government, and indeed all citizens, to uphold the constitution and ensure that our democratic practices are not only preserved but strengthened.

“The current impasse presents an opportunity for reflection and reaffirmation of our commitment to the principles of democracy, rule of law, and the unequivocal respect for the legislative process that forms the bedrock of our nation’s governance. I reiterate that the refusal to even accept the bill for consideration falls outside the legal bounds established by our constitutional framework. It is incumbent upon the President to accept the bill and take the necessary action within the prescribed constitutional limits, whether that action is assent, refusal, or referral to the Council of State for advice.

“Article 106(7) says ‘Where a bill passed by Parliament is presented to the President for assent, he shall signify within seven days after the presentation, to the Speaker that he assets to the bill or that he refuses to assent to bill, unless the bill has been referred by the President to the Council of State under article 90 of this Constitution’. The Parliament of Ghana will comply with the existing legal framework and reject the attempts by the Executive Secretary of the President, through his contemptuous letter, to instruct the Clerk to Parliament, an Officer of Parliament whose position is recognizably under the Constitution. We shall not cease and desist!

Read the info graphs of what the Speaker said below:

However, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin addressed the media following the Speaker’s remarks and stated “Mr Speaker went beyond expressing disagreement and rather pronounced judgment on what in his view was wrong. Mr Speaker did not only stop there, he also used very unsavory words to describe Mr. President. We believe that in a democracy, we have our right to disagree on views expressed but we do not have the right to say things to denigrate another. This we think is very unacceptable.

“Mr Speaker said the President has undermined democracy and that he should have resorted to the Constitution in making certain communications to the House. We in the Majority beg to disagree with the position taken by Mr Speaker. If you carefully read the letter that was sent to Parliament, Mr President limited himself to the process before the court and the fact that Parliament itself has filed an affidavit in opposition and is in court. In fact,  Parliament is a party to the suit, so for us, we do not see how this would have to affect the proceedings of Parliament. In any event, Mr Speaker has always deferred to the leadership of the House to guide him in the conduct of business” he stated.

“This morning, the leadership of the House sat together to discuss the various items to be taken, we have finished some, but there were some that we were supposed to take and we were told that Mr Speaker would have to take the chair.  It is very disappointing that after Mr Speaker had made known his own views about the letter sent from the presidency to the clerk he adjourned the house without giving room for the leadership of the house to even comment. This we find very strange, this is a democracy and we believe, as Mr speaker himself said, that this ‘impasse calls for reflection’. I will play that out to Mr Speaker that we all need to reflect on the way forward as a nation”

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com