Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Assafuah noted that it has been over five months since the minority filed the case, yet the AG has failed to submit a statement of case as required by law.

“The Attorney General claims there are transitional presidential issues making it impractical to file, but he’s the same person holding press conferences tagging people as corrupt when they haven’t even been heard in court,” he said.

Mr. Assafuah also joined calls for the suspension of the vetting of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice, arguing that the process should wait until the court rules on the removal of Justice Gertrude Torkonoo.

He warned that proceeding with the vetting could undermine the rule of law and weaken efforts to protect judicial independence.

“The law provides specific processes for the removal of a Chief Justice. If he is named Chief Justice, it means that all of us, including Justice Torkonoo, are stepping back from fighting for her fundamental human rights. Even if it is revealed later that Torkonoo’s removal was unjustified, Baffoe-Bonnie cannot be removed as Chief Justice. If I were in the NDC, I would ensure this matter is resolved in court before proceeding with the vetting,” he said.

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He said Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s accomplishments and his strong connections within the Ashanti Region, particularly with Otumfuo is a significant advantage for the party.

He dismissed criticisms of Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s performance in the energy sector, affirming that his contributions have proven his value to the NPP.

Mr. Assafuah expressed confidence that Dr. Bawumia has made a prudent choice after thorough consultations with party leaders.

“With the kind of things that he has to his credit, there is no doubt that he would add a lot to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. People believe that he’s a royal, he comes from Otumfuo’s palace and because of his relationship with the giants in the Ashanti Region, how he carried himself and how he’s been a helper to most people in the Ashanti region, clearly he brings a lot to the ticket.”

“I think Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia did his own research, he has done a lot of engagements with party stalwarts and I do not think that it would be a mistake for him to add him to his ticket.

“I think if the NPP would want to garner about 80% of the votes which is clearly becoming the ambition of the party, of course, he’s going to play a critical role to be able to make sure that we garner such votes.” he said on Channel One TV.

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According to him, it was Parliament’s responsibility to ensure the reformation and integration of homosexuals back into society.

He said although he is in support of the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, he believes that merely ostracising homosexuals from society is not the solution.

Sharing his views on the bill during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointment’s Committee in Accra on Monday, March 11, 2024, Mr Assafuah said the bill was in consonance with his formation as a catholic person, hence pledging his support for it.

“In principle, the LGBTQ bill that has been passed or approved by Parliament is one that I support wholeheartedly because it is in consonance with my tradition and culture. It is in consonance with my formation as a catholic person or practising catholic,” he stated. 

The controversial legislation which prohibits lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activities and criminalises their promotion, advocacy, and funding in the country, was unanimously passed by Parliament on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, after three long years since it was introduced on the floor of parliament.

The anti-LGBTQ bill if assented to by the President will, among other things, impose sanctions on willful promotion and engaging in LGBTQ activities in the country.

The bill proscribed a minimum sentence of six months and maximum three years for persons caught in the act of same-sex activities.

However, persons found guilty of willful promotion or advocating or funding the activities of LGBTQ will, upon conviction, face three years minimum and five years maximum imprisonment.

Mr Assafuah, however said, he was against the punishment to be meted out to people who will find themselves at the wrong side of the anti-LGBTQ+ law.

“There are reasons for punishment to be meted out to people. There is a principle behind punishment and one of the principles is to ensure that a person is being reformed out of a criminal activity. And so, if we have to reform persons, do we have to mete out punishment that seems to ostracise the person from society? It seems that as a society, we are bringing out our failures in the sense that we are showing our inability or incapacity to be able to reform people or if you like put people through sessions that reintroduce such persons into society. If we are not able to do so. That is where I see the failure,” he explained. 

“It seems we are throwing our hands in despair. I am making a strong point that as a Parliament, we should be very interested in reforming our people. That is our responsibility as a people. We cannot say that there is a supposed anticipation of gay persons being lynched if they are given community service and so because of that as the people’s representatives we are throwing our hands in despair to allow such persons just to go astray.

“That cannot be our course. Let’s have a proper forum, let’s have proper engagements to see how best we can deal with such persons. It is our responsibility to do so,” Mr Assafuah stated.

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