Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has slammed President Akufo-Addo following the latter’s answer to a question on the anti-LGBTQI+ bill currently before the House for consideration.
The Speaker stated unequivocally that Parliament would pass the bill regardless of the impediment.
The Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill currently before Parliament will meet the aspirations of all when it’s passed into law, President Akufo-Addo has declared.,
It was in response to a question he was asked at a joint press conference with visiting United States Vice President Kamala Harris.
President Akufo-Addo is hopeful that Parliament will come out with a responsible response to the bill.
“The Bill is going through Parliament, the Attorney General is doing its part regarding the constitutionality or otherwise of its provisions and Parliament is dealing with it. At the end of the process, I will come in, but in the meantime, Parliament is dealing with it. And I know that the Parliament of Ghana will show us what it’s done in its past. First of all, it’s a sensitive human rights issue, as well as the feelings of our population and will come up with a responsible response to the proposal,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
But reacting to the comments made by the President, the Speaker slammed him and asked him not to interfere with the work parliament does.
”The Bill will be passed. There is no way he [President] can intervene. That answer he gave; that [the bill] is before parliament, and when it gets to the stage that he has to intervene, he will come. Eii! Please, this is legislation. This is not execution. Wait until we pass it, and then we [will] direct you to execute it. That is where you come from. That is why we are the representatives of the people. In terms of law and policy, we finalise it, and then the executive has the authority to implement it or execute it. Let’s get it clear. While this bill is here, he [Nana Addo] is not in charge. I [Speaker] am in charge.”
The Speaker further chastised the Parliamentary Select Committee on Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs over the delay in working on the bill.
He asked them to be courageous, work on the bill and be afraid because Ghanaians and God Almighty were behind them.
He went on to say that because God told men to multiply and fill the world, they should not listen to countries that support LGBTQI+ people.
He also slammed the Vice President of the United States for her stance on the issue, saying her remarks should be tolerated.
”That is undemocratic. What is democracy? That somebody else would have to dictate to me about what is good and what is bad? Unheard of. Because we have decided to devalue and go begging? Come on! We have more than enough.”
By: Rainbowrafioonline.com/Ghana