Advocates of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also known as the Anti-Gay Bill, have decided to stage a peaceful walk against the Supreme Court to protest the delay in setting a hearing date for the case.
This decision of the advocates come after the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 17, 2024, sates it will delay judgments on the anti-gay cases until all related legal matters are resolved. The July 17, 2024 ruling was on the interlocutory injunction restraining parliament from transmitting the bill to the president.
On the very judgment the court later revealed it had decided to stay judgment on the interlocutory injunction until the substantive matter of whether the bill itself met the constitutional requirements or not is due.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024, was approved on February 28, 2024, by Parliament. The Act criminalizes LGBTQ+ activities, promotion, advocacy, and funding in Ghana.
The Act hit the rock as two Lawyers, Former CitiFM Richard Dela Sky and Dr Amanda Odoi, run to the Supreme Court seeking an interlocutory injunction restraining parliament from transmitting the bill to the president and a total annulment of the bill.
President Nana Akufo Addo has also hinted that until all the legal impasses surrounding the Bill is resolved he would not comment much on it.
The lead advocate for the bill, Hon. Sam George has stated that, the the Supreme Court’s delay in setting a hearing date for the case has compelled them to stage the walk.
The group has slated Tuesday, October 8, 2024, for the walk, starting from Kwame Nkrumah Circle the group will march to the office of Attorney General, Godfred Dame and the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkonoo and present to them petitions.
He said “Basically what the Supreme Court has done is stage judgements. The judiciary today is stopping the legislature from doing a constitutional mandate. Based on Article 106/7 of the Constitution, The Chief Justice and the Supreme Court have basically restrained Parliament from doing so without uttering those words”.
Hon. Sam George added that “Now you say you want to hear the main case, they haven’t said anything to us, they haven’t given us a timetable. Are you hearing it now, one month or two years, nobody knows what’s going on. She has not even called the main case. We need a timetable to know what she’s going to call the case.”
He noted further that “The Supreme Court has been hearing cases during vacation. During vacation, the court of the land has been sitting, and it’s about placing a premium on it. Earlier two months ago, a decision was taken by the sponsors and some other partners, the Chief Imam’s office, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic church that we were going to march to the Chief Justce’s office, give a petition to her, demanding from her to give us a timetable.
“This is a major national issue, we need to have a final determination on the matter, and they should act expeditiously. It’s not a matter the Supreme Court can choose and be lackadaisical or drag its feet. we want to see some action.
“It’s coming off this Tuesday, October 8, we will start from Kwame Nkrumah Circle, a peaceful march, nobody is supposed to come with party colours. We will march to the Supreme Court to demand a ruling on the case” he remarked on Channel One.
