Tell me when to transmit anti-LGBT+ Bill to the president – Clerk of Parliament to Bediatuo Asante

Cyril Nsiah, the Clerk to Parliament, has reached out to Nana Bediatuo Asante, the Executive Secretary to the president, seeking clarification on when to transmit the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-LGBTQI+ Bill, to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

This request for clarification follows a controversial letter from Mr. Bediatuo Asante that advised Parliament against transmitting the Bill to President Akufo-Addo for his assent.

In his letter to Mr. Bediatuo Asante dated Wednesday, April 10, Mr. Nsiah expressed his intention to transmit the Bill in accordance with Article 106(7) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

“I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your Letter No. OPS 140/1/24/235 dated 18th March, 2024, on the above subject matter and received in my Office on 19th March, 2024,” Mr. Nsiah wrote.

“I have taken note of the contents of the letter, particularly the text in the last paragraph, which states that 'In the circumstances, you are kindly requested to cease and desist from transmitting the Bill to the President until matters before the Supreme Court are resolved.”

“Accordingly, I await an indication in writing from your Office on when to present the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024, to His Excellency the President for his consideration, pursuant to Article 106(7) of the Constitution, 1992,” the Clerk noted.

Following the controversial letter from the presidency on March 18, 2024, requesting Parliament to refrain from sending the anti-LGBT+ bill to President Akufo-Addo for his assent, citing pending legal matters, many condemned the presidency's stance.

Parliament retaliated by suspending the vetting process for President Akufo-Addo's newly nominated ministers.

The letter emphasized that it was not proper for Parliament to proceed with transmitting the Bill to President Akufo-Addo until the legal matters before the court were resolved.

Additionally, it was revealed that the Attorney-General had advised the President against taking any action regarding the Bill until the issues raised in the legal suits are addressed by the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, an Accra High Court has granted an application for the abridgement of time for the hearing of the case seeking to compel President Akufo-Addo to receive the Anti-LGBT+ bill from Parliament, filed by NDC MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.

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