Akufo-Addo’s delay in assenting to Anti-gay bill unjustified –Catholic Bishops

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference is urging President Nana Akufo-Addo and Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to work together to ensure the implementation of the people’s will regarding the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Ghana Family Values Bill, also known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill. Currently, there is a deadlock over the transmission of the Bill from Parliament to the Presidency.

The President has stopped the transmission of the anti-gay bill, while the Speaker of Parliament has put a hold on the approval of new ministerial nominees due to a court case.

This impasse has left many Ghanaians disheartened, questioning why two branches of government cannot collaborate to protect the country’s values and cultural systems.

In a media interview, Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, stressed the importance of the Executive and Legislature working together in the public interest.

He noted that the majority of Ghanaians support the Bill and urged President Akufo-Addo to respect the decision of the people as expressed by their representatives in Parliament.

“We are surprised that the President has not yet signed it. People can make their cases wherever and whenever, but when a law has been passed by Parliament and comes from the people, there should be no reason for the President to withhold assent,” Reverend Gyamfi stated.

“We urge them to follow the law and the Constitution because their actions are causing concern among all of us. If there is no provision for the President to wait, then why is he delaying?” he questioned.