NationalTop Stories

Regarding the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill: Professor Abotsi Asserts Parliament’s Ability to Pass Legislation Without Presidential Assent

Professor Ernest Kofi Abotsi, Dean of the Law School at the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), has underscored a constitutional provision allowing Parliament to enact laws without requiring presidential assent.

In recognizing the executive’s prerogative to either assent to or reject a bill, as stipulated in Article 106 of the constitution, the dean emphasized Parliament’s supreme authority in legislative affairs.

Prof Abotsi’s statement emerges amidst a dispute between Parliament and the Presidency regarding the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly referred to as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which was passed in February.

The Presidency, in a letter on Tuesday, instructed Parliament not to transmit the bill to President Akufo-Addo for his assent.

The decision, according to Nana Bediatuo Asante, stems from the acknowledgment of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction before the Supreme Court.

Highlighting the procedural aspect during JoyNews’ PM Express, Prof. Abotsi explained that in instances where the executive refuses to assent to a bill, a series of exchanges occur between Parliament and the executive.

However, he added that should Parliament persist in its stance and reject proposed changes from the executive on three occasions, it can pass the bill into law without the need for presidential assent.

“The Executive’s participation in lawmaking is rather administrative because it is not that substantive. It can’t defeat the legislative authority of Parliament,” he said on Wednesday.

Nonetheless, the dean stressed the importance of collaboration amongst the arms of government.

“… but it is a collaborative process and the expectation is that they will not over-rule each other but cooperate with each other,” he said.

What's your reaction?

Excited
0
Happy
0
In Love
0
Not Sure
0
Silly
0

You may also like

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in:National