By Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has criticized both President Akufo-Addo and the judiciary, accusing them of undermining the Constitution by delaying the passage of the Anti-LGBTQ Bill.
The Bill, which has been passed by Parliament, is now awaiting presidential assent.
According to Mr. Bagbin, the judiciary’s decision to accept and process cases related to the bill, along with the president’s alleged refusal to assent to it, sets a concerning precedent for Ghana’s democratic progress.
At a press conference on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Speaker Bagbin expressed his disappointment over the growing trend of stakeholders, including MPs, turning to the Supreme Court to settle legislative matters.
He argued that such actions undermine the integrity of the House.
“Most worrying is that these proceedings are initiated by some members of Parliament, even leaders of Parliament, who ought to know better,” Bagbin said, emphasizing that MPs should show loyalty to Parliament rather than the Supreme Court.
“Parliamentarians who are to be loyal to Parliament rather than to the Supreme Court run to the Supreme Court at the slightest opportunity to use it to undermine Parliament,” he said, adding that this tendency might be why Parliament “is not respected and treated with disdain.”
Mr. Bagbin specifically criticized the judiciary’s involvement in processing suits related to the LGBTQ Bill, which he claimed the President also refused to assent to.
“The President’s refusal to even receive the LGBTQ+ Bill duly processed and passed by Parliament without any legal basis, and the judiciary’s support by processing a suit on this subject matter, are dangerous precedents,” Mr Bagbin stated.
According to him, both the president and the judiciary “have sinned against the Constitution” and should seek to “confess and repent” for what he considers a disregard of Ghana’s democratic processes.
