One of the sponsors of the anti-gay bill, Samuel Nartey George, has said that the real intent of the bill is to deal with persons who promote the act of homosexuality.
He accused most lgbtqi advocates of receiving money from homosexuals to lobby for them to be accepted in society.
Some persons including Ghanaian academics, Prof Takyiwaa Manuh and Prof Audrey Gadzekpo, have all opposed the bill, especially the custodial sentencing.
The Ningo Prampram lawmaker said on the Sunrise show with Johnnie Hughes on Tuesday, March 5 that “The real intent of the anti-gay bill is to deal with advocacy, the likes of Takyiwaa Manu and Audrey Gasdzekpo and Amanda Odoi, these are people who are straight but are taking money from the gay lobby to try and indoctrinate our children.”
On February 28, Parliament passed the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, otherwise known as anti-gay Bill.
President Akufo-Akufo-Addo later urged all stakeholders to await the outcome of the case that has been filed in the Supreme Court by a concerned citizen with regard to the bill before any further action is taken.
The President said with this new development, it would be proper to wait for the ruling of the Supreme Court.
“… I have learnt that, today, a challenge has been mounted at the Supreme Court by a concerned citizen to the constitutionality of the proposed legislation. In the circumstances, it would be, as well, for all of us to hold our hands, and await the decision of the Court before any action is taken,” the President wrote in a statement posted on Facebook by the Director of Communication at the presidency, Eugene Arhin on March 4.
But South Dayi lawmaker Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor accused Mr Akufo-Addo of relying on hearsay to justify his decision not to sign the anti-lgbtqi bill.
Speaking on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 on Monday March 4, Mr Dafeamekpor said “let the record reflect that somewhere last year two persons proceeded to court, one to the Supreme Court and the other to the High Court challenging the validity of the bill on grounds breath of our fundamental right. The other proceeded to the Supreme Court on constitutionality but they were informed that that was premature. So we are aware that there are people who are on standby to mount challenges.
“The bill, as presently passed by parliament, is not a law upon which an aggrieved Ghanaian can proceed to the supreme court pursuant to article 2 of the constitution to challenge its constitutionality or otherwise, that’s not how things are done. You can only challenge an existing law, a law that is not assented to by the president is not law. so it si very strange, it appears that everything is being choreographed in a very murky manner.
We hear the Ministry of Finance issuing a statement that there is no signature, there is no author, and nobody’s name appeared beneath the statement but it made headlines, then the president says he has heard that somebody is proceeding to the Supreme Court, whether that action has been properly filed or not the president is acting on hearsay, how do you injunct yourself in performing your constitutional mandate based on hearsay, that is not how our law works. There is no injunction on the president to prevent him from acting in performing his functions in office, this is well choreographed plan.”
