Flag Bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramamni Mahama, has explained that he will append his signature to the Anti-LGBTQI Bill on the premise of its contents if he is elected as president in the forthcoming December elections.
While speaking in an interview on BBC Africa on Wednesday, December 4, Mahama said, “It is not an anti-LGBTQI Bill, it is a Family Values Bill. It was approved unanimously by our parliament.
“[LGBTQI] is against our African culture, it is against our religious faith, but I think we must look at the Bill and the president must indicate what he finds wrong with that bill and send it back to Parliament or alternatively he must send it to the Council of State and get the Council of State’s advice.”
When being asked whether he will assent the Anti-LGBTQI Bill into law, Mahama maintained that “It depends on what is in the Bill.”
Background
The Anti-LGBTQI Bill has been in parliament for sometime now left for President Akufo-Addo to assent it into law. However, there are two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill” passed by Parliament.
A legal practitioner has challenged the Bill. According to Richard Dela Sky, the bill goes against several provisions of the 1992 constitution. He observed that the bill contravenes Articles 33(5), 12(1) and (2), 15(1), 17(1) and (2), 18(2), and 21(1)(a)(b)(d) and (e), and consequently seeks eight forms of relief, one of which requests the declaration that the Speaker of Parliament breached Article 108(a)(ii) of the Constitution by allowing the bill’s passage.
In another lawsuit, Dr. Amanda Odoi, is concerned with certain provisions in the bill and has requested a restraining order that will prevent the Speaker of Parliament, the Attorney-General, and the Clerk of Parliament from forwarding the bill to President Akufo-Addo for assent.
