Supporters of the Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-gay bill, are staging a protest today, Tuesday, October 8, to voice their frustration over the prolonged delay in the bill’s final approval. The protesters are demanding immediate action from President Nana Akufo-Addo to sign the bill into law, which has been stalled since Parliament passed it on February 28, 2024.
The bill, which aims to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities in the country, has faced several roadblocks on its way to becoming law. One of the major setbacks occurred on July 17, when the Supreme Court postponed its judgments on cases related to the bill, citing the need to address other related legal matters first. This delay has sparked growing discontent among the bill’s proponents, who believe that the wait has been unnecessarily long.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News, Samuel Nartey George, the lead advocate of the bill and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, expressed his concerns about the slow pace of the legal process. He emphasized the significant authority that lies in the hands of the Chief Justice to accelerate the resolution of the case and move things forward.
“The Chief Justice has the power to demand of all the parties in the case, that they file within the times stipulated in the Rules of Procedure, that you file a statement of claim within 14 days. All of this is clear and the Chief Justice is the one who has powers to ensure that,” George explained.
He expressed disappointment in the apparent lack of urgency within the judicial system, noting that the delays are affecting the bill’s progress. According to George, there is a clear path to expedite the process if the Chief Justice pushes for the necessary documents to be filed promptly. He argued that the extended time frame for filing documents and moving the case along does not align with what he sees as the principles of justice.
“If everybody is going to take one year to file their documents, the Chief Justice thinks that that is a proper delivery of justice, where parties in the case will determine as and when and how they would be doing their filing,” he added, underscoring the inefficiency of such a drawn-out process.
For George and other proponents of the bill, the issue is not just about the legal and procedural delays, but also about what they perceive as a failure of the justice system to meet the needs of the people. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” he asserted, stressing that a functional and effective justice system relies on the timely resolution of cases.
The protesters, who have been mobilizing for weeks, see the delay as a major hindrance to the implementation of a law that they believe reflects the moral values of the majority of Ghanaians. Many of them argue that the bill represents a necessary step toward preserving the cultural and social fabric of the country, which they believe is under threat from the growing acceptance of LGBTQ+ rights globally.
However, the delay has also been viewed by some as an opportunity to address the legal complexities surrounding the bill. Human rights groups and other critics of the bill have used the time to raise concerns about its potential impact on individual freedoms and Ghana’s international reputation. The bill has drawn criticism from various international organizations, including the United Nations, which have called on the Ghanaian government to reconsider the legislation on the grounds that it violates fundamental human rights.
Despite these criticisms, supporters of the bill remain resolute in their push for its passage. They argue that the bill reflects the will of the people and is a necessary measure to protect the country from what they see as the negative influences of Western liberalism. The protest today is seen as a critical step in putting pressure on the president to act swiftly and sign the bill into law.
For many of the protesters, the issue goes beyond just the legislation itself—it is about asserting the country’s right to make its own decisions about its cultural and moral values without interference from external forces. As one protester put it, “This is about protecting our future, our families, and our country from values that are foreign to us. We are asking the president to stand with us and act now.”
As the protest unfolds, the pressure on both the executive and the judiciary to act is mounting. While the legal and procedural complexities surrounding the bill continue to be debated, the protesters’ message is clear: they want action, and they want it now.
For now, all eyes are on President Akufo-Addo and the Chief Justice to see how they will respond to the growing calls for the bill’s immediate approval. Whether the protest will succeed in speeding up the process remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—the issue is not going away anytime soon, and the longer the delay, the louder the calls for action are likely to become.
