The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, declared that no individual, including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, possesses the authority to prevent parliament from passing the anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently under consideration.
Bagbin emphasized that once the bill is passed, President Akufo-Addo would be obligated to sign it into law.
These remarks were made during the parliamentary session on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, as the house deliberated on the draft Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill, commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
Bagbin further stated that individuals opposed to the bill would have the option to challenge it in court once it becomes law.
“It is not the case, constitutionally, that when a person finds problems with the laws we pass that have concerns that are constitutional in nature, it is not only that, they could be legal, not constitutional, they may be even matters of policy. But the president is not indulge with veto power.
“He only makes comments and resubmits it to the house, If the house insists that what we have passed is the right thing. The president has no option than to assent to it,” he said.
The speaker added, “Ghanaians are after that permitted to take it to any court for interpretation. So, we are not bound to be looking over our shoulder because the present is there to make comments”.