The Minority in Parliament has supported and commended the Speaker of Parliament for suspending the approval of the appointees of President Akufo-Addo, who have been voted on by the appointments committee.
The caucus believes the directive by the presidency to parliament, asking the House to refrain from transmitting the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values (Anti-LGBTQ+) Bill for assent is a breach of the 1992 constitution.
On March 20, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, took a swipe at the presidency, wondering why it would issue a directive to the House asking it to refrain from transmitting the anti-gay bill to him due to a pending matter before the Supreme Court.
On March 19, the office of the President officially requested that Parliament refrain from transmitting the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill to President Akufo-Addo for his assent.
It was in the case of Nana Bediatuo Asante, Executive Secretary to the President, that the directive stems from the acknowledgement of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction before the Supreme Court.
According to the letter, it would be improper for Parliament to proceed with transmitting the bill to President Akufo-Addo for any action until the matters before the court are addressed.
But the Speaker reacting said the presidency’s refusal to accept the transmission of the bill not only deviates from established democratic practices but also “undermines the spirit of cooperative governance and mutual respect for the arms of government.”
The Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, commenting on the matter said the Speaker’s decision was legitimate, and as such, had their full backing.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to conclude by saying that, the Right Honourable Speaker has made an important call. A call for Parliament to unite against the autocratic tendencies of our President and this government.
“We, in the NDC minority, are ready to protect the sanctity of the constitution of the Republic of Ghana. And we stand with the Speaker of Parliament in this. Let the President of Ghana and his government be aware that where this country is going is strange under his watch and the NDC Minority will not countenance it,” he said.
He added that the 1992 Constitution provides two options to the President regarding a bill, which are either to assent to the bill or not.
“But I want to say that it is obvious that His Excellency the President has breached the constitution and we will advise ourselves. In the coming days, don’t be surprised that we’ll begin impeachment proceedings against the President,” he said.
“At this point, the President may have to be innovative, dynamic and think out of the box by downsizing his government.
“Let me say that merely piling up numbers by way of appointing ministers and deputy ministers does not signal to the people of Ghana that the President understands the seriousness of the mess that he and his government have created in our country,” he added.
Source: rainbowradioonline.com
