The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has appealed to the Chief Justice to allow live coverage of proceedings related to the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly referred to as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Justice, the Attorney General cited the significant public interest surrounding the anti-gay bill as the basis for the request.
He recommended that media outlets, including radio and television, be granted full access to the relevant courts to cover all proceedings concerning the Bill.
The cases mentioned in the letter include those of Dr. Amanda Odoi v The Speaker of Parliament and Another, Richard Dela Sky v The Parliament of Ghana and Another, Mr. Paul Boama-Sefa v The Speaker of Parliament and Another, and Dr. Prince Obiri-Korang v The Attorney-General.
The Attorney General argued that transparency in the proceedings would be in the best interest of the administration of justice.
Meanwhile, Broadcast Journalist Richard Dela Sky and Researcher Dr. Amanda Odoi are set to appear before the Supreme Court to move their respective lawsuits challenging the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill and its possible assent. These lawsuits have halted the Bill’s transmission from Parliament to the Presidency for President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo to possibly assent to it.
Richard Dela Sky is challenging the constitutionality of Parliament in passing the bill, while Dr. Amanda Odoi is contesting the constitutionality of the legislation itself. President Akufo-Addo has declined to receive the bill, citing the pending cases at the Supreme Court.
In his lawsuit, Richard Dela Sky seeks several declarations and orders, including nullification of the Bill’s passage by Parliament, an injunction against presenting the Bill to the President for assent, and a restraining order against enforcing the provisions of the Bill.
The Bill, which prohibits LGBTQ activities and their promotion, advocacy, and funding, has stirred significant controversy since its passage by Parliament in February 2024. With the Supreme Court’s involvement, the fate of the Bill remains uncertain, as President Akufo-Addo awaits the court’s ruling before making a decision.
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