President Akufo-Addo has informed Parliament that he cannot sign the Anti-LGBTQ bill into law due to pending suits at the Supreme Court.
This announcement comes as a surprise to many, as the bill had garnered significant attention and controversy both domestically and internationally.
A letter from the Office of the President dated 18th March, signed by Nana Bediatuo Asante, Secretary to the President, outlined the reasons behind this delay.
The letter addressed Parliament’s attempt to transmit the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024 to the President for his signature during a Cabinet Retreat at Peduase.
The letter cited two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction filed in the Supreme Court on March 7, 2024. These applications sought to restrain Parliament from transmitting the bill to the President and to prevent the President from signing the bill into law until the matters raised in the suits were resolved.
The Attorney-General, in a letter dated March 18, 2024, informed the President that he had been duly served with both applications and advised against any action regarding the bill until the Supreme Court decided. It was also noted that Parliament had been served with the applications.
Therefore, while the interlocutory injunction cases are pending, President Akufo-Addo stressed the need of maintaining the status quo ante. It was deemed improper to transmit the bill to the President or for his office to receive it until the Supreme Court resolved the matters raised in the suits.
The Anti-LGBTQ bill has sparked heated debates within Ghana and drawn international scrutiny, with human rights groups expressing concerns about its potential impact on the LGBTQ community.
For now, the fate of the Anti-LGBTQ bill remains uncertain as it awaits the Supreme Court’s decision on the pending suits, leaving both supporters and opponents of the legislation on edge.
See full statement below:
