Di president say im go wait for di court to determine di anti-LGBTQ cases bifor im go take action
Di Supreme Court of Ghana go deliver dia ruling on two applications wey one journalist and anoda researcher don file against di controversial anti-LGBTQ bill.
Di two pipo want make di Supreme Court stop Ghana parliament from sending di bill wia dem pass for February 2024 to di president say make im sign am.
Richard Sky and Dr Amanda Odoi also wan make di court stop di president from signing di bill into law.
“If di president don sign dis law - di human sexual rights and family values bill 2024, im go dey against di rights and liberties of Ghana pipo wey di constitution don provide.”
President Akufo-Addo tok say im no go sign di law for March
President Akufo-Addo in March tok say im no go take action for dis anti-LGBTQ bill sake of pipo carry am go court.
Di president during one meeting wit members of di diplomatic corps tok say “I don hear say some pipo take di mata go di Supreme Court say make di court test di constitutionality of di law.”
Im add say “sake of dis, e go dey fine say make everybody hold on den wait for di decision for di court, before anytin go happun.”
Di president conclude say “di operation of di institutions of state for Ghana, go determine di future trajectory of di rule of law and human right compliance for our kontri.”
On 18 March, di presidency write to parliament say make dem stop dey transmit di bill to di president.
For di letter wia secretary to di president Nana Asante Bediatuo don write, im tok say two injunction application cases dey di Supreme Court na so di president go wait make di court finish dat matter.
Di letter tok say e go dey improper for parliament go ahead to transmit di bill to di president as di two cases still dey court.
“Di presidency sabi say dem serve parliament wit di two applications na so e go dey improper for you to transmit dis bill to di president wia e go dey improper also for dis office to receive di bill, until di Supreme Court determine di matter wia di pipo raise inside dia suits,” di secretary to di present write for di letter to parliament.
Di letter don add say “sake of dis circumstance, we dey ask say make una stop dey transmit di bill to di president until say di court finish dia determination.”
Afta dis letter reach di speaker of parliament, im tok say wetin di president dey do dey contemptuous.
Speaker of parliament vex di president
Leader of parliament don vex di president ova im decision not to sign di bill into law.
Di speaker Alban Bagbin tok for parliament say “di refusal of di president to accept di transmission of di bill no dey supported by constitutional and statutory provisions wey dey guide our legislative process.”
Di speaker threaten say parliament go block di approval of some new ministers wey di president appoint at di time sake of di beef wit di presidency ova di anti-lgbtq bill.
Afta di court judgement on di injunction against parliament, dem now go determine di substantive case of whether di passage of dis human rights and family values bill 2024, dey unconstit
Some of di provisions for di new anti-LGBTQ bill
For dis new human rights and sexual values bill 2024, pesin wey don engage for LGBTQ activities go fit go jail for between six months and three years.
Na so pesin wey advertise and promote LGBT activities go enta jail for up to ten years.
Dis advert or promotion go fit be through technology, social media or traditional media.
Also pesin wey sponsor LGBT activities go dey against di law.
Dis dey attract fine of not less dan 750 penalty units (9,000 Ghana cedis, $720) or not more dan 5,000 penalty units wey be (60,000 Ghana cedis, $4,800).
One clause for di law also dey criminalize physical attack on pipo wey dey involve in LGBT activities.
Anoda clause for di law prohibit formation of LGBT groups.
For pesin wey wan do gender reassignment through surgery, na crime for dis new law.
Such pipo also neva go fit adopt pikin for any facility or social welfare agency.
