The controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill has become the spotlight of a brewing conflict between its lead sponsor, Sam George, and President Akufo-Addo.
George alleges that the President is using a pending legal challenge as a shield to avoid assenting to the contentious legislation.
Speaking on JoyFM’s Top Story on March 5, George pointed to the President’s past actions, highlighting instances such as the Electronic Transaction Levy, where Akufo-Addo proceeded despite legal challenges.
The Prampram lawmaker argued that if the President genuinely supported the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, he would have assented to it, court action notwithstanding.
“The President is being the puppet master here with a few other players here. The President is trying to find an excuse not to sign, but again you want to find out if the President is being principled or not,” George asserted.
Furthermore, George revealed his plan to suggest to co-sponsors to reintroduce the bill to Parliament if President Akufo-Addo declines to sign.
He emphasised the possibility of putting it to a 2/3rd majority vote in such a scenario.
President Akufo-Addo reassured the international community of Ghana’s commitment to upholding human rights, emphasising the ongoing legal challenge as the reason for the delay in action.
He made these remarks during a diplomatic engagement on March 4, addressing concerns surrounding the bill.
Adding a layer of complexity to the situation, on March 5, journalist and lawyer Richard Dela Sky filed a lawsuit against Parliament at the Supreme Court, seeking an order to restrain the President from assenting to the bill.
The lawsuit also aims to prevent the Speaker of Parliament and the Clerk from presenting the bill to the President.
However, legal experts, including Associate Professor Prof Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua from the Ghana Law School, have labelled certain portions of the lawsuit as premature.
Appiagyei-Atua noted that arguing against the bill on the grounds of constitutional violations may weaken the case.
As the legal battle unfolds, the fate of the Human Sexual Rights Bill remains uncertain, with political and legal figures locked in a contentious struggle over its future.