Private legal practitioner, Kweku Paintsil is not convinced that President Akufo-Addo is genuinely not assenting to the anti-LGBTQI+ Bill because of a pending legal challenge at the Supreme Court.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo does not need to wait for the Apex Court’s verdict if he really wants to sign the controversial bill into law.
Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, Mr Paintsil explained that, there are precedents that the President went ahead to make certain decisions despite a suit pending at the time.
He has therefore questioned the basis for President Akufo-Addo’s decision to wait for the court ruling.
However, he stated the President cannot be faulted for his stance on the Bill.
On Tuesday, March 5, a journalist cum lawyer, Richard Dela Sky filed a lawsuit against Parliament at the Supreme Court regarding the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
The reliefs sought by the journalist include an order restraining President Akufo-Addo from assenting to the bill and also preventing the “Speaker of Parliament and the Clerk to Parliament from presenting ‘The Human and Sexual Values Bill, 2024’ to the President of the Republic for his assent.”
This was barely 24 hours after Akufo-Addo revealed that the Bill is facing a legal challenge at the Supreme Court and that until a decision is arrived at, no action would be taken by his government on the private Member’s bill.
Addressing concerns during a diplomatic engagement on March 4 at Peduase, the President emphasised that Ghana remains steadfast in its long-standing reputation for respecting human rights and adherence to the rule of law.
He reassured the international community of Ghana’s commitment to upholding human rights despite the passage of the bill.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo’s declaration has been met with fierce criticisms with a lot of questions begging for answers.
Listen to lawyer Paintsil in the video attached above:
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