Anti-gay bill: Academic withdraws contempt suit against Speaker of Parliament

A researcher at the University of Cape Coast, Dr Amanda Odoi, has reportedly withdrawn a contempt of court application, she filed in the Supreme Court of Ghana against the Speaker of Parliament; Alban Bagbin, over the anti-LGBTQ bill the house is currently considering.

Dr Amanda Odoi had accused Bagbin of disregarding pending legal actions and allowing the anti-LGBTQ+ bill to proceed in the house.

She said that the Speaker of Parliament has shown disdain and contempt for court processes, thereby violating the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

In a myjoyonline.com report, Dr. Odoi argued that, "the respondent has continually violated and shown utter disregard for the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the court process. That the respondent's clear, intentional, and continuous disregard of the court process necessitates the Respondent being sanctioned for contempt in the public interest and to protect the dignity of the Court."

The academic decided to withdraw the suit against the Speaker of Parliament after the Supreme Court threw out her application to stop the Parliament of Ghana from proceeding with the passage of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

A nine-member Supreme Court panel, presided over by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, unanimously dismissed the application, stating that the plaintiff did not give it reason enough to order parliament to stop its processes to pass the anti-gay bill.

Dr. Amanda Odoi is one of two Ghanaians who sued Bagbin at the Supreme Court asking the court to stop parliament from passing the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021.

The other person is; Paul Boama Sefa; a farmer.

Meanwhile, the Parliament of Ghana has adopted the motion of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliament Committee on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill (anti-LGBTQI bill)

This followed the second reading of the bill on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

The bill is now at the consideration stage where the house is expected to go through it, clause by clause and make the necessary amendment proposed by the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee.

BAI/WA

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