Anti-gay bill: Speaker’s attack on Akufo-Addo unfortunate – OB Amoah

Member of Parliament for Akwapim South, Osei Bonsu Amoah has condemned remarks by the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The Speaker suspended the approval of ministerial nominees on Wednesday following a presidential letter urging Parliament not to transmit the anti-gay bill for assent due to two Supreme Court interlocutory injunction applications.

The applications sought to prevent Parliament from sending the Bill to the President and to restrain the President from signifying his assent to the Bill, pending the final determination of the matter.

The Speaker in his remarks condemned the letter as a grave threat to Ghana’s democracy and an attempt to undermine the 1992 Constitution.

During an interview on The Big Issue on Citi TV, O.B Amoah defended the President’s actions for being law-abiding, labelling the Speaker’s attacks as unwarranted.

OB Amoah highlighted that the Speaker’s stance did not reflect the majority view and equated his role to that of an opposition figure.

“The Speaker didn’t speak for the majority of us, it’s a fact in the sense that if you read his statement very well, the first ten paragraphs or so, were direct attacks on the President, for no reason at all for some of us.

“If you read the letter, this is not something the Speaker should act as a judge, speaker and as some said then act as the opposition presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, John Mahama. It’s unfortunate, but if you read the letter from Nana Asante Bediatuo. He says I’m law-abiding, I’m going by the constitutional dictates, and we should wait for the Supreme Court to deal with this matter.

“Does that warrant such words like he’s trying to undermine the Constitution? And all those things? I think it’s very unfortunate, the Speaker looked very angry, … very sad and unfortunate for our Parliament. I have never seen such a situation in Parliament.”

He also referenced past practices of correspondence between the Secretary to the President and Parliament, countering former President John Mahama’s criticism of the process.

“There were comments by former President John Mahama that he was surprised that the Secretary to the President could write a letter to Parliament. Some of us were surprised until we were able to show that when it comes to sending bills to the President for assent, the clerk sends them to the President.

“The Secretary to the President will then respond to it, or whether there are issues to it. I have copies of such correspondence, even in the previous administration. So that issue cannot be an issue we should raise anywhere.”

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