Journalist slaps Parliament with new anti-LGBTQ+ bill suit

A journalist named Richard Dela Sky has sued Parliament in the Supreme Court over the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill’s passing.

After years of discussion, lawmakers unanimously approved the contentious bill on February 28, 2024.

Members of Parliament are putting more and more pressure on President Akufo-Addo to sign the bill into law.

The President has already stated that he will hold off on signing the document until the court issues a ruling on the matter.

The bill calls for a minimum sentence of six months and a maximum sentence of three years for those who sponsor or promote LGBTQ activities. Those found in the act would face a sentence of three to five years in prison.

The journalist is requesting relief in the form of an order barring President Akufo-Addo from signing the bill and prohibiting the “Speaker of Parliament and the Clerk to Parliament from presenting ‘The Human and Sexual Values Bill, 2024’ to the President of the Republic for his assent.”

The plaintiff claims that the bill should be declared void because it contains provisions that are in conflict with the 1992 Constitution.

The writ, which was filed on March 5, 2024, also mentioned how the legislation’s sections charge Ghana’s public funds, such as the Consolidated Fund.

The Anti-LGBTQ Bill’s proponents, including Sam George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, feel that it does not violate any provisions of the 1992 constitution.

In an interview with Newsfile on March 2, Saturday, he noted that many of the opponents of the bill, who claim it violates the 1992 constitution, have not mentioned which specific provisions of the constitution the bill violates.

“This is a social issue and so Parliament is within the same Article 17.4 exercising its right that the constitution has conferred on us to deal with the social issue. It says for the matters relating to adoption, which is in this bill, marriage is in this bill, divorce, burial, and the evolution of property. But clearly, parliament has not acted ultra vires the constitution,” he stated.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com