Anti-LGBTQ bill rise to the bait, concerned citizens protest; Supreme Court rubbishes allegations

By Prince Ahenkorah

Concerned citizens opposing LGBTQ+ rights, have taken to the streets to protest against the delays in the approval of the controversial anti-gay bill.

On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, thousands gathered to voice their frustration over the stalled Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly referred to as the anti-gay bill.

The protest, spearheaded by supporters of the bill, saw a diverse crowd, including activists, community leaders, and concerned citizens, all calling for prompt legislative action.

The aim of the protest is to urge the president to swiftly assent to the bill, which has been pending since Parliament approved it on February 28.

The delays, have been exacerbated by a Supreme Court ruling on July 17, which postponed decisions on the anti-gay case, until all related legal issues are resolved.

Samuel Nartey George, the bill’s lead advocate and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, emphasized in an interview with Citi FM on October 7, that the Chief Justice can expedite the resolution if deemed necessary.

“The Chief Justice has the power to demand of all the parties in the case, that they file within the times stipulated in the Rules of Procedure, that you file a statement of claim within 14 days. All of this is clear and the Chief Justice is the one who has powers to ensure that.

“If everybody is going to take one year to file their documents, the Chief Justice thinks that that is a proper delivery of justice, where parties in the case will determine as and when and how they would be doing their filing.

The lead advocate stated that “Justice delayed is justice denied and the expeditious delivery of justice is critical to an effective justice delivery system and so the Chief Justice has to be up and doing,”.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, has cleared the air on accusations of intentionally delaying the legal challenges against the Human and Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-gay bill.

Justice Ellen Ofer-Ayeh, the court’s Registrar and a High Court judge, attributed the delays to the parties’ failure to complete the required legal procedures.

At a press conference on Monday, October 7, 2024, Justice Ofer-Ayeh, explained that none of the parties had submitted the memorandum of issues, and both defendants, the Attorney General (A-G) and Parliament, missed the deadline for filing their defense.

Parliament has since requested an extension to submit its defense, with a hearing scheduled between October 15 and 17, 2024.

This development comes on the heels of a protest march led by Sam George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, which was set for October 8, 2024.

The anti-gay bill has been a contentious issue in Ghana, with President Nana Akufo-Addo, announcing that he would not act on the bill unless it is approved by the Supreme Court.

The bill, which extends prison sentences and applies them not only to same-sex relations but also to anyone identifying as LGBTQ+, supporting LGBTQ+ people, or advocating for recognition of their human rights, has sparked widespread debate.

Human Rights Watch has criticized the bill, stating that it undermines Ghana’s human rights obligations.

The bill’s implications are far-reaching, with Ghana’s Ministry of Finance warning that it puts $3.8 billion in World Bank funding at risk and would likely derail a $3 billion International Monetary Fund bailout program agreed to in 2023.

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