Ghana: Speaker Bagbin Suspends Approval of New Ministers Over President Akufo-Addo’s Directive On Anti-LGBTQ Bill

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has suspended the consideration of the nomination of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State by President Akufo-Addo due to his reluctance to assent to the bill on Human Sexual Rights and Family Values.

Bagbin’s decision stems from an interlocutory injunction filed at the Supreme Court by MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor, rendering Parliament unable to sanction new ministers nominated by President Akufo-Addo.

This action by Bagbin follows a directive from the presidency, which issued a cease and desist letter to Parliament, restraining them from transmitting the Bill on Human Sexual Rights and Family Values for President Akufo-Addo’s assent.

The presidency cited an ongoing interlocutory application at the Supreme Court as grounds for their decision.

In an official response, Bagbin reiterated Parliament’s inability to proceed with the approval of new ministers under similar circumstances.

The “ongoing scenario poses a grave threat to our legislative authority and, by extension, the democratic principles we strive to uphold. The implications of such executive actions extend far beyond the immediate legislative items at hand. They erode the foundational checks and balances that our forebearers painstakingly established to ensure a vibrant and functioning democracy.”

Bagbin added that “The Parliament of Ghana will comply with the existing legal framework and reject the attempts by the Executive Secretary of the President, through his contemptuous letter, to instruct the Clerk to Parliament, an Officer of Parliament whose position is recognizably under the Constitution. We shall not cease and desist!

“Be that as it may, Hon Members, I also bring to your attention, the receipt of a process from the Courts titled Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor vrs. The Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney -General ( Suit no. J1/12/2024) which process was served on the 19th of March 2024 and an injunction motion on notice seeking to restrain the Speaker from proceeding with the vetting and approval of the names of the persons submitted by His Excellency the President until the provisions of the constitution are satisfied.

“Hon. Members in the light of this process, the House is unable to continue to consider the nominations of His Excellency the President in the “spirit of upholding the rule of law “ until after the determination of the application for interlocutory injunction by the Supreme Court.”

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