By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Office of the President has officially asked the House of Ghana’s legislature to refrain from transmitting the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, tagged as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his assent.
The instruction was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, and addressed to Parliament on Monday, March 18, 2024
According to the Secretary to the President, the instruction is in light of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction currently before the Supreme Court.
The letter emphasized that it would be improper for Parliament to proceed with transmitting the Bill to President Akufo-Addo for any action until the matters before the court are addressed.
Furthermore, it was disclosed that the Attorney-General has advised the President against taking any action regarding the Bill until the issues raised by the ongoing legal suits are resolved by the Supreme Court.
“It is the understanding of this Office that both applications have also been duly served on Parliament. Therefore, it would be improper for you to transmit the Bill to the President and equally improper for this Office to receive the Bill until the Supreme Court determines the matters raised in the suits,”
In the circumstances, you are kindly requested to cease transmitting the Bill to the President until the matters before the Supreme Court are resolved,” it added.
Additionally, the letter revealed that on Thursday, March 14, Parliament attempted to transmit the Bill to the President while he and some cabinet members were attending a retreat at Peduase.
It has come to the attention of this Office that while the President and other senior officials of the Presidency were at Peduase for a Cabinet Retreat on Thursday, 14th March 2024, you attempted to submit the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024 to the Jubilee House for the President to signify his assent or otherwise to the Bill.” Portions of the letter read.
