Member of Parliament for Assin South , Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has dismissed claims that former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo deliberately refused to assent to the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LBGTQ+ bill.
In an exclusive interview on JoyNews’ AM Show, Rev. Ntim Fordjour clarified that legal challenges, not presidential inaction, prevented the bill from reaching the President’s desk for consideration.
“I have never said that anyone can blame President Nana Akufo-Addo for our loss. Neither did I say that President Akufo-Addo failed or refused to sign assent to the bill,” he said.
“When the hands of Parliament were stayed and enjoined from transmitting the bill, the President could not even have the privilege of receiving it to take a decision upon.”
The MP explained that from the early stages of the bill’s journey through Parliament, it faced multiple legal hurdles.
These challenges, he said, started from the first reading and stakeholder engagements through to the amendment stages.
“Even before the third reading, there were many legal challenges. A lot of dissenting opinions tested it in court, and determinations were made,” he noted.
According to Rev. Ntim Fordjour, just when Parliament thought all legal issues had been resolved and the bill could be transmitted, a fresh lawsuit emerged.
This new legal action placed an injunction on Parliament, effectively halting the process of forwarding the bill to the President.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, passed by Parliament in 2024, has sparked intense national debate, with supporters calling for swift presidential assent and critics raising constitutional and human rights concerns.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour maintained that it would be “unfair” to blame the former President for delays in the process, stressing that legal processes beyond the control of the Executive stalled the transmission of the bill.
Source: Myjoyonline
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