Work together to ensure the will of the people is implemented – Catholic Bishops to Akufo-Addo and Bagbin on anti-LGBTQ+ bill

Regarding the contentious Ghana Family Values and Human Sexual Rights Bill, better known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has encouraged Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin and President Nana Akufo-Addo to work together to ensure that the people’s desire is carried out.

The process of moving the Bill from Parliament to the Presidency is now at a standstill.

The Speaker of Parliament put a hold on the approval of new ministry nominations, claiming a legal dispute, while the President stopped the anti-gay law from being sent.

Many Ghanaians are frustrated by this impasse and wonder why the two branches of government can’t cooperate to protect the nation’s cultural traditions and values.

The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, emphasized in a media interview the necessity of cooperation between the Legislature and the Executive branch for the sake of the public.

The majority of Ghanaians, he said, favor the Bill, and he pleaded with President Akufo-Addo to honor the people’s choice as represented by their legislators.

“We’re surprised that at this time the President has not signed it yet. People can go and make their cases anywhere, anytime but as to whether the President should listen to Supreme Court orders of some individuals’ presentations, before he assents or not we don’t know if the law provides for that.”

“When this law has come from the people and it has been passed by Parliament, I do not find any basis the President will stand on it and say he will not assent to the Bill.”

“We call on them to do what is law, what the Constitution provides because they are making all of us worried. This one is a novelty, that is why we are not sure whether there’s a provision for that. If there’s no provision why should the President wait,” Reverend Gyamfi quizzed.

Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, a Member of Parliament (MP) for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court asking for various rulings and directives over the President’s authority under the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution.

Dafeamekpor is requesting a declaration that a President may only consent to or refuse to consent to a bill within seven days, unless the measure has been submitted to the Council of State, in accordance with Article 106(1) and (7) of the Constitution.

In addition, he requests a ruling that the President cannot stop Parliament from forwarding a passed measure to him.

Dafeamekpor further requests a determination that a letter dated March 18, 2024, signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, and addressed to the Clerk of Parliament, is unconstitutional. He’s asking for an order telling the President to withdraw this letter back.

A request for any additional orders or directives the court may judge necessary is also included in the action.

This occurs a few days after President Akufo-Addo chose not to enact the measure due to a Supreme Court-filed injunction.

The letter dated March 19 emphasized that until the court’s issues are resolved, Parliament should not move forward with sending the bill to President Akufo-Addo for any action.

Many parties have expressed their disapproval of the statement, including Speaker of the House Alban Bagbin.

Later on, Mr. Bagbin also put a stop to the Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial approval procedure.

He noted an injunction that prevented the procedure from happening, which was obtained by South Dayi MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com