Anti-gay bill: Akufo-Addo can't injunct himself from his constitutional duties - Dafeamekpor

The Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has reacted to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s assurance to the diplomatic community on the approval of the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (anti-gay bill), which was recently passed by the Parliament of Ghana, into law.

President Akufo-Addo, in a statement dated Monday, March 4, 2024, indicated that his decision on whether to assent the anti-gay bill or not will be after all issues around the bill, which is yet to reach his desk, have been resolved.

He noted that his decision on the bill is on hold due to a suit filed by a private citizen challenging its constitutionality.

“I think it will serve little purpose to go, at this stage, into the details of the origin of this proposed law, which is yet to reach my desk. But, suffice it to say, that I have learnt that, today, a challenge has been mounted at the Supreme Court by a concerned citizen to the constitutionality of the proposed legislation,” Akufo-Addo said.

Reacting to this in a post shared on X on March 5, 2024, Dafeamekpor indicated that President Akufo-Addo was just making an excuse to avoid his constitutional duty of approving the anti-gay bill or otherwise.

The MP pointed out that the president approved the Electronic Transfer Levy Bill into law even though it is being contested in the Supreme Court of Ghana and can do same for the anti-gay bill.

“The Procedure to veto a Bill is clear. The Prez can’t injunct himself from carrying out his constitutional function upon his receipt of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill as passed by Parliament, based on some hearsay Court action.

“We are in Supreme Court against the E-levy Act but he signed it,” he wrote.

The MP shared portions of the Standing Orders of Parliament which showed processes that are to be followed after the approval of a bill by parliament.

The document suggested that parliament by now would have already sent the bill to the Office of the President.

The document also indicated lawsuits against bills do not stop them from being assented to by the president.

View the MP’s tweet, plus the documents below:

The Procedure to veto a Bill is clear. The Prez can’t injunct himself from carrying out his constitutional function upon his receipt of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill as passed by Parliament, based on some hearsay Court action. We are in Supreme Court against the Elevy Act but he signed it pic.twitter.com/daVeS1xWea

— Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq. MP. (@etsedafeamekpor) March 5, 2024