Member of Parliament for New Juaben South Michael Okyere Baafi warned the Koforidua congregation that President Akufo-Addo faces imprisonment if he signs the bill, which is currently before the Supreme Court, to reassure Christians that he is not needlessly delaying its signing.
Parliament passed the bill in February 2024, but President Akufo-Addo has refused to sign it, making it controversial.
The bill’s supporters and Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin have both had differing opinions about this, calling the President’s rejection of the bill for consideration illegal.
But according to Nana Asante Bediatuo, the President’s Executive Secretary, the reason for Nana Akufo-Addo’s reluctance is the Supreme Court-filed injunction.
Speaking to members of The Church of Pentecost during the Easter Convention in Koforidua, MP Okyere Baafi refuted rumours that the President was purposefully delaying, pointing out that the main barrier was legal.
“The stupidity known as LGBTQ is intolerable. Even the 1992 Constitution disapproves of it. The anti-LGBTQ+ bill is supported by us MPs based on our legislative authority; nonetheless, the law requires the President’s consent for the bill to become law. However, several human rights advocates brought the case to the Supreme Court to prevent the president from signing the measure as he gets ready to accept and sign it.
“If the President goes ahead and signs, he will be jailed,” declared Okyere Baafi. The president should be imprisoned if he signs the bill, according to those who filed the lawsuit.
The MP added, “President Akufo-Addo supports the Anti -LGBTQ+ bill because, in our monthly meetings with him, he told us to support the bill to be passed because it is a good law. The President is not against the bill”.
Contrary to a warning from the finance ministry, highlighting potential financial repercussions that the bill’s passage could reportedly jeopardize $3.8 million in World Bank financing and potentially disrupt a $3-billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan package, Okyere Baafi said the government has nothing to lose if the bill is signed.
“In any case, if President Akufo Addo signs the bill he won’t suffer the consequences because it is left with his 8 months to leave”.
But President Akufo-Addo “wants to respect the law before he signs, so don’t listen to the misinformation about the issue; what I am telling you is the truth,” according to Okyere Baafi. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, the President claims he will sign the bill into law.
What does the 1992 Ghanaian constitution say regarding the President’s arrest?
“The President shall not, while in office as President, be personally liable to any civil or criminal proceedings in court,” according to Article 57 Clause 5 of the 1992 constitution.
Furthermore, clause 6 stated that, “unless the proceedings had been legally barred before he assumed the office of President,” civil or criminal proceedings may be instituted against a person within three years of his ceasing to be President, in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by him in his capacity before or during his term of office, notwithstanding any period of limitation.
Is it possible that Michael Okyere Baafi, the New Juaben South MP, was unaware of this clause when he spoke to the Christian congregation?
