Parliament has officially reached out to the Office of the President, requesting a definitive timeline for the submission of the Human Sexual and Family Values Bill for presidential approval.
This development follows a request from Nana Bediatuo Asante, Secretary to President Akufo-Addo, on March 18, urging Parliament to withhold the presentation of the bill, commonly referred to as the anti-LGBT+ bill, to the President.
In light of pending matters before the Supreme Court, President Akufo-Addo’s office has requested a temporary halt to the progression of the bill.
Acknowledging this request, the Clerk to Parliament, Cyril K. O. Nsiah, in a letter dated April 10, 2024, has sought clarity on a suitable date for Parliament to present the bill to the president for his consideration.
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“Accordingly, I await an indication in writing from your office on when to present the Human Sexual and Family Value Bill, 2024 to His Excellency the President for his consideration, pursuant to Article 106(7) of the Constitution, 1992,” the letter read.
Media personality and lawyer in private practice Richard Sky filed a suit at the Supreme Court essentially to challenge the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill passed by the eighth parliament of the Fourth Republic on Wednesday 28 February, 2024.
This suit is to restrain the speaker and the clerk to parliament from presenting the bill to the president for his assent. and also restrain President Akufo-Addo from assenting to the bill.
“In this circumstance, it is my prayer that this Honourable Court restrains the Speaker and the Clerk to Parliament from presenting to the president for his assent the bill ‘The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2024’.
“an order restraining the president from assenting to ‘The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2024’ as such action will directly contravene the constitutional safeguards of liberties and rights of Ghanaians,” Sky further stated
In a new development, the High Court in Accra has approved a motion to expedite the hearing of the case involving the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi Constituency, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor. The MP seeks to compel President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to take action on the anti-LGBTQ bill. The case has been adjourned to April 18 for further proceedings.