Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has strongly criticized the Clerk of Parliament, Cyril Ansah, regarding his correspondence with the presidency concerning the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, widely known as the anti-LGBT bill.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme, Ablakwa expressed concern over the approach taken by the Clerk.
Describing the action as offensive, Ablakwa accused the Clerk of deviating from constitutional norms by sending the letter to the presidency.
He pledged to seek clarification from the Clerk’s office once Parliament resumes session.
“I don’t know what the strategy is, but I feel offended by this letter, particularly the third paragraph. Are you subjecting our constitutional mandate to the whims and caprices of the president or Secretary to the president? What happened to our constitutional independence? These are constitutional matters.
“So now Nana Bediatuo Asante is going to dictate to Parliament when we should communicate with the executive? When we should move forward with our mandate? What is the meaning of this? When the house resumes, the clerk better have some explanation because we will take him on,” Ablakwa asserted.
On April 10, 2024, Cyril Nsiah, the Clerk to Parliament, wrote to Nana Bediatuo Asante, Executive Secretary to the president, seeking clarity on when to transmit the controversial bill to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In his letter dated Wednesday, April 10, Mr. Nsiah acknowledged receipt of Mr. Bediatuo Asante’s letter and expressed his intention to transmit the Bill as per Article 106(7) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
“I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your Letter No. OPS 140/1/24/235 dated 18th March 2024, on the above subject matter and received in my Office on 19th March 2024,” Mr. Nsiah wrote.
“I have taken note of the contents of the letter, particularly the text in the last paragraph, which states that ‘In the circumstances, you are kindly requested to cease and desist from transmitting the Bill to the President until matters before the Supreme Court are resolved.”
“Accordingly, I await an indication in writing from your Office on when to present the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024, to His Excellency the President for his consideration, pursuant to Article 106(7) of the Constitution, 1992,” the Clerk noted.