Member of Parliament for Buem, Kofi Adams has stated that the current discourse surrounding the Anti-gay bill has gone beyond declaration of religious stance.
According to him, very reputable religious leaders have already publicly declared their religious position on the bill adding that Ghanaians are now very much aware of the religious position.
Speaking on The Keypoints, the lawmaker stressed that what is really needed at this moment is execution of the legislative function for the bill to be fully implemented.
Mr. Adams was reacting to Vice-President Dr. Bawumia’s comment about aligning with the Islamic position on issues relating to LGBTQI activities during his speech at the recent Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.
He said the Vice-President’s religious position is “meaningless” to the current state of conversation on the bill.
“The position of religion and whether the religion accepts or does not accept, we have long past that stage. Those who qualify to speak on religion on that matter have long spoken and we cannot take religious position from Dr. Bawumia anymore.
“Where we are now is about bringing finality to the legislative function of law-making and that we have gone through all the stages of preparing a bill and the bill has been presented to the President to sign. He has two things, to sign or to decline to sign, if he signs that brings finality to it.
“If he declines to sign, he would have to state the provisions in the bill which he disagrees with for which he has declined to sign and possibly refer to Council of State and refer to Mr. Speaker,” he stated.
There are currently two suits filed against the bill at the Supreme Court. President Akufo-Addo has served notice to Parliament that his office will await the outcome of the suits at the Supreme Court before taking a final decision on the bill which he is expected to assent.
However, Kofi Adams believes that the suit against the bill is not a necessity to restrict the President from taking action on the bill presented to his office.
He explained with reference to the E-levy bill which he said the President assented to despite a pending legal suit against the bill.
“Parliament’s legislative function in terms of law making concludes with the President’s signing of whatever bill they passed and I know persons who have argued that this same President in this very eight parliament have cause to sign the e-levy bill when it was in Supreme court and still is so what has changed?
“The president signing the e-levy bill into law has not stopped him from functioning as a President,” he added.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo is “intentionally delaying all processes” to sign the bill as he argued that per law any injunction or suit cannot prevent the President from performing his functions such as signing a bill into law.
He said even if the President decides to use the suit as a reason not to sign the bill, he is required by the law to inform Parliament which then resorts to the next constitutionally mandated process which is adopting the two-thirds majority to assent the bill.