Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has ordered the Clerk of Parliament to transmit the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, commonly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, to President Akufo-Addo for his assent.
Speaking at a media briefing ahead of Parliament’s upcoming session on November 7, Bagbin said, “I have earlier instructed the Clerk of Parliament to transmit the anti-LGBTQ+ bill to the President for assent.”
Alban Bagbin voiced strong criticism against both President Nana Akufo-Addo and the Judiciary, accusing them of constitutional violations concerning the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
The Office of the President in March officially requested Parliament to refrain from transmitting the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, commonly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, to President Akufo-Addo for his assent.
In a letter addressed to Parliament on March 18, and signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, the request was made in light of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction currently before the Supreme Court.
The letter emphasised 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.
In his address today, Bagbin alleged that the President and the Judiciary have undermined Parliament’s authority by stalling the bill’s progress, despite it being duly passed by the legislative body.
Bagbin claimed that both institutions had “sinned against the constitution” and emphasized that they “must seek the opportunity to confess and repent to be forgiven.”
The Anti-LGBTQ+ bill, formally known as the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill,” proposes criminal penalties for individuals engaging in or promoting LGBTQ+ activities. Parliament passed the bill in February, but subsequent lawsuits have prevented it from reaching the President for assent. Among the legal challenges are cases filed by journalist Richard Dela Sky, gender activist Dr. Amanda Odoi, and law lecturer Prince Obiri-Korang, each raising concerns about the bill’s impact on individual rights and freedoms.
The Judicial Service of Ghana has addressed these delays, clarifying that procedural requirements are yet to be fulfilled in the two Supreme Court cases. A statement from the Judicial Service on September 13, 2024, noted that “essential procedural requirements are yet to be fulfilled by the parties involved,” and outlined that key defendants, including Parliament and the Attorney General, have not completed necessary filings.
In Sky’s case, initiated in March, both Parliament and the Attorney General had reportedly not submitted their Statements of Case by July 31, 2024, just before the Court’s recess. In Odoi’s case, which dates back to June 2023, the Attorney General has yet to submit the required documentation, contributing to further delays.
Hundreds of demonstrators flooded the streets on Tuesday, October 8, demanding swift judicial action and the immediate assent of the anti-LGBTQ bill, formally known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act, 2024.
The protest, organised by proponents of the controversial bill, saw a diverse group of participants, including activists, community leaders, and concerned citizens, rallying for the acceleration of legal proceedings that have stalled the bill’s final approval.