How difficult is it for Dr. Bawumia to state his position on LGBT+? - Mintah Akandoh asks

Member of Parliament for Juaboso Constituency, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has raised concerns over Dr. Bawumia’s failure to clearly state his position on same-sex marriage.

According to him, there is a deliberate attempt by the president and the vice president not to assent to the Anti-LGBT+ bill due to the financial benefits they will lose should it be signed into law.

Speaking on Accra-based UTV, the lawmaker said, “The Akufo-Addo government should boldly come out and tell us what their position on LGBT+ is because, up till now, I don’t know how difficult it is that Vice President Dr. Bawumia has not stated his position on this matter as a flagbearer."

In a statement released on Monday, March 18, 2024, Nana Bediatuo Asante, the Secretary to the President, urged parliament to refrain from transmitting the recently passed Anti-LGBT+ Bill to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for assent.

The presidency cited two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction against the Bill before the Supreme Court.

He disclosed that the Attorney-General had informed President Akufo-Addo via a letter dated March 18, 2024, regarding the pending legal actions.

“It has come to the attention of this Office that while the President and other senior officials of the Presidency were at Peduase for a Cabinet Retreat on Thursday, 14th March 2024, you attempted to submit the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024 (the "Bill") to Jubilee House for the President to signify his assent or otherwise to the Bill.

“This Office is aware of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction, both filed on 7th March 2024 in the Supreme Court in Dr. Amanda Odoi v. The Speaker of Parliament and The Attorney-General (J1/13/2023) and Richard Sky v. The Parliament of Ghana and The Attorney-General (31/9/2024) respectively, to restrain you and Parliament from transmitting the Bill to the President and also to restrain the President from signifying his assent to the Bill, pending the final determination of the matter,” part of the statement said.

NAY/MA