Speaker Bagbin Urges Supreme Court to Expedite Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Decision
The Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called on the Supreme Court to show similar urgency in resolving the pending Human Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill, as it recently demonstrated with cases concerning vacant parliamentary seats.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Bagbin highlighted the need for consistency in the Court’s approach to important national matters. He argued that the Court’s swift action on recent cases involving vacant parliamentary seats contrasts with its handling of the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which has been awaiting resolution for almost a year. He urged the judiciary to address the bill promptly, emphasizing its significance to the Ghanaian public.
“I respectfully call on the Supreme Court to apply the same swiftness with which they attended to the ex parte application in the case involving the president’s refusal to receive the Human Rights and Family Values Bill passed by Parliament, which has been pending before the same court for almost a year,” Mr. Bagbin stated.
The Speaker expressed concern over perceived inconsistencies in the Court’s rulings. He referenced the recent decision that temporarily barred four Members of Parliament from representing their constituencies for 12 weeks. In contrast, he noted the Court's reluctance to address representation concerns in other constituencies, such as Assin North and the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) areas, where constituents have been denied representation due to legal disputes.
“The Court could not enjoin four Members of Parliament from serving their constituents for 12 weeks but was very eager to deny the constituents of Assin North their representation because of their issue of allegiance. The Court cannot deny the constituents of SALL the sanctity of representation for years,” he remarked, stressing the importance of equal judicial treatment for all constituencies.
Mr. Bagbin further noted that the Ghanaian Constitution mandates representation continuity, and exceptions, such as the absence of parliamentary representation, should be limited to no more than three months before a general election. This, he suggested, underscores the Court's obligation to prioritize cases impacting democratic representation.
As Parliament prepares to reconvene on Thursday, November 7, 2024, Mr. Bagbin revealed that he has instructed the Clerk of Parliament to transmit the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill to the president for assent. This bill, which seeks to criminalize certain LGBTQ+ activities, has sparked considerable debate both domestically and internationally, and its status remains highly anticipated by many in Ghana.
Bagbin’s call for judicial consistency underlines the broader need for transparency and efficiency in handling cases that affect public representation and rights. The Speaker’s remarks also serve as a reminder of the essential balance between legislative authority and judicial independence, especially on issues that directly impact Ghanaian citizens.
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