New suit to compel Akufo-Addo to receive anti-gay bill filed

Member of Parliament for South Dayi Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has filed a fresh suit at the Supreme Court seeking several declarations and orders regarding the powers of the President under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

Dafeamekpor is seeking a declaration that, according to Article 106(1) and (7) of the Constitution, a President can only assent to or refuse to assent to a bill within seven days, unless the bill has been referred to the Council of State.

He also seeks a declaration that the President cannot prevent Parliament from transmitting a bill that has been passed to him.

Furthermore, Dafeamekpor is asking for a declaration that a letter dated March 18, 2024, addressed to the Clerk of Parliament and signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, is in contravention of the Constitution. He is seeking an order directing the President to withdraw this letter.

The suit also includes a request for any further orders or directions that the court may deem necessary.

This comes days after President Akufo-Addo decided to refrain from signing the bill into law over an injunction filed at the Supreme Court.

The March 19 letter emphasised that it would be improper for Parliament to proceed with transmitting the bill to President Akufo-Addo for any action until the matters before the court are addressed.

The statement has attracted much criticism from various stakeholders, including the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.

Mr Bagbin subsequently also suspended the approval process for Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State.

He cited an injunction against the process secured by South Dayi MP, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, hence could not take place.

This, he noted, was similar to the presidency’s directive for the House to refrain from transmitting the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values popularly known as the Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill for assent due to an application for an interlocutory injunction at the Supreme Court.