Anti-gay bill contravenes the constitutional safeguards of liberties and rights – Lawyer to SC

A private legal practitioner, Richard Dela Sky, has applied to the Supreme Court, seeking a declaration that the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-gay bill, is declared null and void.

The lawyer who is also a broadcast journalist says the passage of the bill violates Article 33(5) of the Constitution of 1992, as well as the provisions of Articles 12(1) and (2), 15(1), 17(1) and (2), 18(2), and 21(1) (a) (b) (d) and (e) of the Constitution.

He contends that the provisions “raise profound concerns regarding the potential infringement of the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed to every Ghanaian by the Constitution.”

He also claims that “the Speaker of Parliament contravened Article 108(a)(ii) of the Constitution, in light of Article 296(a)(b) and (c), by admitting and allowing Parliament to proceed upon and pass.

“The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024″ into law as the same imposes a charge upon the Consolidated Fund or other public funds of Ghana.”

In his writ, the lawyer is praying for the apex court to give an “order restraining the President of the Republic from assenting to ‘The Human and Sexual Values Bill, 2024,’ as such action will directly contravene the constitutional safeguards of the liberties and rights of Ghanaians.”

He further prayed for “an injunction barring any attempts to enforce the provisions of 'The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2024,' particularly those criminalising same-sex relationships and related advocacy efforts.”