According to Nana Obiri Boahen, a private attorney, Nana Asante Bediatuo, the President’s secretary, did not neglect to write a letter warning the Parliament clerk to “cease” from trying to send the recently passed anti-LGBTQI law to the Jubilee House for President Nana Akufo-Addo to sign.
Lawyer Nana Obiri Boahen claims that Nana Asante Bediatuo wrote the letter to the Parliament clerk and that, in addition, he disagrees with Speaker of the House “Senior” Alban Bagbin’s decision to stop considering President Akufo-Addo’s nominations for ministers and deputy ministers of state.
“Some people thought Nana Asante Bediatuo penned the letter to the Speaker. Personally and legally do not know why they have directed it towards the speaker,” he stated during a Wontumi TV interview.
The presidency has warned the House of Parliament to “cease” its attempts to transmit the anti-LGBTQI law recently passed by parliament, to the Jubilee House for President Nana Akufo-Addo to sign.
Nana Asante Bediatuo, Secretary to the President, said in the letter dated March 18 and addressed to the Clerk of the Parliament that it was “improper” for the president’s office to receive the bill as required by law until the Supreme Court rules on challenges against it.
The letter was issued after the Clerk tried to formally submit the bill to the president, which would set off seven days for him to approve or reject it.
Bediatuo said the Attorney General and Minister of Justice have also advised the President not to act on the bill, one of the harshest of its kind in Africa.
“In the circumstances, you are kindly requested to cease transmitting the bill to the president until the matters before the Supreme Court are resolved,” read the letter.
In response to the Presidency’s letter, the Speaker of Parliament, Right Hon. Alban Bagbin suspended the consideration of the nomination of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State by President Akufo-Addo.
This follows an interlocutory injunction filed at the Supreme Court by the MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.
In his final address to the House before adjourning sitting on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin said the lawsuit makes it impossible for Parliament to vet and process the new ministers nominated by President Akufo-Addo.
“Hon Members, I also bring to your attention, the receipt of a process from the Courts titled Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor vrs. The Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney-General ( Suit no. J1/12/2024) which process was served on the 19th of March 2024 and an injunction motion on notice seeking to restrain the Speaker from proceeding with the vetting and approval of the names of the pennedrsons submitted by His Excellency the President until the provisions of the constitution are satisfied.
“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 explained.
Attorney Nana Obiri Boahen expressed disagreement with a section alleging President Akufo-Addo has infringed upon the legislative body’s freedom.
It was his suggestion that the Council of State should have been contacted by the Presidency with the letter from the Clerk of Parliament.
“We should not give the impression that the President and Parliament are making light of the LGBTQI issue,” he said.