Anti-gay bill standoff: Akufo-Addo’s letter to Parliament insulting, disrespectful – John Jinapor

Member of Parliament (MP) for the Yapei-Kusawgu constituency and Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, John Abdulai Jinapor, has characterised President Akufo-Addo’s letter to Parliament as “disrespectful and insulting”.

He said the President could have communicated his position in a more decorous manner rather than seeking to instruct Parliament to “desist and cease” from submitting the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2024 to the presidency.

Speaking to Keminni Amanor on Hot Issues yesterday, [Sunday, March 24], the Yapei-Kusawgu lawmaker said, “The constitution is clear how things are done, even if you won’t act on it. To say that you won’t accept a letter or transmission of a memo from Parliament is very insulting”.

He maintained that the ‘impasse’ between the Executive and the Legislature would continue as long as the President “continues to treat Parliament with that level of disrespect”.

He advised that the President could have “at least acknowledged receipt and say that I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated so-so-and-so but based on A B C D, I am unable to do X Y Z, that is decorous”.

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“But to write and tell Parliament that we should desist and cease henceforth from transmitting such letters to you…well, the Speaker too might then say you too desist and cease henceforth from sending your bills to Parliament and we will be descending onto the path of anarchy”, he stated.

Mr. Jinapor further expressed surprise at the Attorney-General’s position, asserting that Speaker Bagbin is “dabbling in politics”.

The Speaker had earlier moved to discontinue the approval of President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees pending the Supreme Court decision on MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor’s case against the appointment and vetting exercise.

“I’m very surprised at this Attorney-General when the E-levy (Electronic Transaction Service levy) was in court, he didn’t know that and he got the President to sign it, why the double standards?” he quizzed.

However, the former deputy minister for energy under the erstwhile Mahama administration emphasised that Parliament would send the anti-gay bill to the President to either sign or write to the House his reasons for not signing within seven days as per the constitution.

He stressed that impeachment is “on the table” if the president fails to act in accordance with the Constitution. He added that the NDC minority is in talks with some majority MPs in their bid to initiate an impeachment procedure against the President.

Meanwhile, the apex court has yet to commence hearing two separate applications for injunction orders against Parliament and the President regarding assenting to the controversial bill already passed by Parliament unanimously.

 

 

 

 

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