Anti-gay bill: Supreme Court grants AG seven-day extension to file statements

The Supreme Court has granted an extension request submitted by the Attorney General’s Department, allowing additional time for the state to file its statement of case in the anti-LGBT bill between private legal practitioner Richard Dela Sky and the Office of the Speaker of Parliament.

Sky in an application raised concerns about the constitutionality of the Ghanaian Family Values Bill, commonly called the anti-LGBT bill.

The private legal practitioner suit, which is directed against the Speaker of Parliament, contends that certain provisions within the bill may be inconsistent with the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

In a hearing, the Attorney General’s Department sought an extension, arguing that additional time was necessary to properly prepare their response to the case.

The apex court agreed, granting the state an additional seven days to complete and submit its statement of case. This procedural decision gives the state’s legal representatives more opportunity to develop a comprehensive legal argument in response to the claims laid out by Richard Sky.

The State Attorney also called on the court to compel the Speaker’s legal team to produce a Financial Impact Analysis report.

The AG’s department argued that the report is critical to the case’s outcome as it could shed light on the potential economic implications of enacting the Ghanaian Family Values Bill.

The Attorney General’s Department contends that understanding the bill’s financial ramifications is essential, as such impact assessments could influence both the legal arguments presented and the court’s eventual ruling.

Richard Dela Sky argues that the Family Values Bill violates constitutional protections for citizens’ rights, potentially increasing discrimination against vulnerable groups and compromising individual dignity.

He has asked the Supreme Court to issue an order preventing the President from signing the bill, asserting that doing so would infringe on the constitutional rights of Ghanaians.

Source: Channel1news