The Office of the President has asked the Clerk of Parliament to abort any plan of submitting the anti-LGBTQ bill to the president.
In a letter signed by Secretary to the President Nana Bediatuo Asante and addressed to Parliament’s Clerk, the presidency said it has taken notice of attempts by the clerk to transmit the bill to the seat of government for the consideration of the president and his possible assent to it.
But the presidency argued that it is improper for Parliament to try to submit the bill to the president or the office receiving same since both the legislature and the executive have been served with lawsuits seeking to stop such actions.
The letter indicated that “The Attorney General has, by letter dated 18th March, 2024, informed the President that he has been duly served with both applications and has advised the President not to take any step in relation to the Bill until the matters raised by the suits are determined by the Supreme court”.
The office, therefore, cautioned the Clerk of Parliament to cease its attempt to transmit the bill to the president until the pending lawsuits before the Supreme Court are determined.
“Indeed, it is settled law that, during the pendency of an interlocutory injunction application, the status quo ante ought to be preserved, and no action should be taken that would result in prejudicing the injunctive relief sought and undermining the authority of the court”.
It added, “In the circumstances, you are kindly requested to cease and desist from transmitting the bill to the president until the matters before the Supreme Court are resolved”.
2 individual have filed separate lawsuits at the Supreme court in attempt to stop the passage of the bill into law.
Even before the suits were filed, President Akufo-Addo had stated that he wasn’t going assent to the bill until the yet-to-be taken legal actions then were resolved.
