Court adjourns Dafeamakpor’s request to compel Akufo-Addo, Bagbin to act on anti-LGBT+ Bill

The High Court in Accra has adjourned Rockson-Nelson Dafeamakpor’s application for mandamus, which seeks to compel the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, and President Akufo-Addo to act on the LGBTQ+ bill within seven days.

This adjournment was after the Court had granted the Applicant’s (Dafeamakpor’s) application for abridgement of time to hear the application today.

Following the grant of the request for the abridgement of time, Counsel for Applicant Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo moved the application for mandamus.

However, the same was opposed by the State Attorney who will have the opportunity to advance their arguments in the next sitting.

The case has been adjourned to April 18 for further arguments and subsequent determination.

Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, applied to the High Court to compel the Speaker of Parliament to submit an Anti-LGBT bill to the president within seven days.

The Plaintiff is also asking the Court to compel the president to accept the Bill and either sign or indicate to Parliament he cannot assent within the same period.

The application for Judicial Review in the nature of mandamus which was filed on March 22, was premised on grounds that, the Parliament of Ghana has duly passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill in compliance with Article 106 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

The legislator, also the Plaintiff, argued that the Bill “must be transmitted to and received by the President of Ghana for assent or otherwise in accordance with Article 106 (7) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.”

According to EIB Network Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, an application for mandamus is a request to a Court asking it to compel or order a government official to properly fulfill their official duties or correct an abuse of discretion.

Below are the reliefs being sought by the Plaintiff in his application for Mandamus

I. A declaration that the Parliament of Ghana duly complied with all the Constitutional provisions stipulated in Article 106 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana in the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill on February 28, 2024.

II. An Order of mandamus directed at the 1st Respondent herein to present the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill to the president of the Republic of Ghana herein in accordance with Article 106 (7) of the 1992 Republic Constitution of Ghana on the basis that the Parliament of Ghana has duly complied with all the Constitutional provisions stipulated under Article 106 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

III. An Order directed at the President of Ghana to receive the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill as presented by Parliament by Article 106 (7) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana for his assent or otherwise.

IV. An Order directed at the president of the Republic of Ghana to signify to the 1st Respondent herein, within seven days after the presentation of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, his assent to the Bill or that he refuses to assent to the Bill following Article 106 (7) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, unless the Bill is referred by the president to the Council of State according to Article 90 of the Constitution of Ghana.

V. Any other relief(s) this Honourable Court may deem fit.