Anti-LGBT+ Bill assent: Parliament must pay back Presidency for disrespect – Ex-Buem MP

Former Member of Parliament for Buem, Daniel Kwesi Ashiamah, is urging the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin, to take retaliatory action against the Presidency for what he describes as disrespect to the Legislature.

The Office of the President, in a letter dated March 18, 2024, requested Parliament to cease and desist from transmitting the anti-gay bill to President Akufo-Addo for assent.

The Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, explained the rationale for sending the letter to Parliament, citing two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction before the Supreme Court.

However, many have found the Presidency's letter to Parliament disrespectful, with the former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, describing it as a threat to Ghana's democracy.

Commenting on the issue on the Ghana Kasa show on Kasapa 102.5FM, the former Buem MP, Daniel Ashiamah, who condemned the move by the Presidency, said the seat of government could have better handled the issue.

"If I were the president, I would have received the bill transmitted to me from Parliament and informed the Speaker that I was about to sign it into law, but because of the pending suits, let's hold on for now. In so doing, the president would have respected the separation of powers. But the president asked his secretary to write to Parliament, telling the Legislature to cease and desist from transmitting the bill. If I were the Speaker, I would have asked the Clerk of Parliament not to receive anything from the Presidency. 'If you fool me, I must fool you more [sic], and who will bear the burden? It is the Executive that always comes to Parliament to seek approval for loans."

He urged Parliament to hit back by not receiving any loan agreements from the Executive.

"The Speaker of Parliament, if possible, should ask the Clerk of Parliament to write officially to the president that, because we Ghanaians are consumed by the huge loans his government has contracted and the fact that we don't see any steps being taken to pay the loans, he should henceforth not present any loan agreement to Parliament for approval. If Parliament does not approve loan agreements, no international organization will give Ghana loans."