The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has told the President that Parliament will not be able to approve his ministers due to a pending matter against them in court.

This follows the Office of the President’s request to Parliament to refrain from transmitting Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values also known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill to President Akufo-Addo for his assent.

In a letter signed by the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo to Parliament on Monday, March 18, a request was made in light of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction currently before the Supreme Court.

However, the Speaker of Parliament views the letter as contemptuous of Parliament.

Against this backdrop, the Speaker yesterday replied the letter by saying, “Hon. Members in the light of this process, the House is unable to continue to consider the
nominations of His Excellency the President in the “spirit of upholding the rule of law until after the determination of the application for interlocutory injunction by the Supreme Court.”

He went further to say, “The contents of the letter, albeit not formally presented to us, have come to our attention,
compelling us to confront the issues it raises. It is a matter of great concern that the executive branch has chosen to disregard the established constitutional structures that facilitate constructive dialogue and collaboration between the branches of government.”

He added that “according to our 1992 Constitution, the President has no VETO.”

The Speaker noted that, when important legislative work, the product of rigorous debate and consensus-building within this House, is disregarded without just
cause, it not only disrespects the legislative branch but also disenfranchises the citizens
we are sworn to serve.

“This blatant disregard for legislative processes and constitutional mandates risks setting a perilous precedent
that could weaken the very fabric of our
governance structure,” he added.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme