Anti-LGBTQ+ bill: Sam George sends strong message to Supreme Court over suit against Speaker of Parliament

The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has asked the Supreme Court of Ghana to be careful in its handling of suits against the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill the house is currently considering.

Two Ghanaians; Paul Boama Sefa, a farmer, and Dr Amanda Odoi, an academic; have sued Bagbin at the Supreme Court asking the court to stop parliament from passing the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

Speaking on the first episode of the newest programme on GhanaWeb TV, Legal Agenda, Sam George described the suits as “landmarks cases” every Ghanaian would be paying attention to.

He urged the court to be mindful of the customs of the nation and remember that they were made justices to serve Ghanaians.

“This is a respectful message to the judges in the Supreme Court and in the High Court. They should bear in mind that they sit there and dispense justice for and on behalf of the people of Ghana, not on their own behalf. And they must be mindful of public policy. The judges will not want to see public outcry against them.

“Because again, don't forget that our judiciary is one element of our government system that people lack a lot of trust and faith in because the judiciary has not necessarily comported itself in the best of manner in previous cases.

“So, this again will be another test case for the judiciary as to whether the judiciary will make themselves bastions of our democracy and dispense justice on behalf of the people of Ghana, or whether there will be considerations for the LGBTQ cabal … We would be looking at the judges to see, especially now that there is a new chief justice,” he told the host of Legal Agenda, Matilda Boateng Nartey.

The MP, however, indicated that the suit against the Speaker of Parliament is dead on arrival; adding the court can act against the anti-LGBTQ+ bill only after it has been passed into law.

He also said that suits against the speaker are being masterminded by the LGBTQI+ cabal to impede the passage of the bill but it would not work.

Watch Sam Georges remarks on the 1st Episode of Legal Agenda on GhanaWeb TV below:

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In the meantime, watch the latest episode of #SayItLoud on GhanaWeb TV with Etsey Atisu below: