Anti-LGBT bill: Mahama’s call for further review is ‘perfectly in order’ – Dafeamekpor

Majority Chief Whip Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor has defended President John Mahama’s recent comments on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

The South Dayi MP insists the President remains fully committed to signing the legislation once parliamentary processes are completed.

His remarks come after President Mahama, during an engagement at Chatham House in London, stopped short of explicitly stating whether he would assent to the bill if it reaches his desk.

Instead, he outlined the constitutional and administrative procedures that would be followed before any final decision.

The President’s comments triggered debate, with critics questioning whether he remains committed to a key campaign promise.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, Dafeamekpor dismissed those concerns and argued that the President’s position was consistent with parliamentary and constitutional processes.

“The President’s reference to the fact that Parliament will still clean up the bill before it gets to him is in order,” he said.

According to him, the legislation is currently undergoing what Parliament describes as post-passage scrutiny and drafting, a process aimed at consolidating and arranging all approved amendments before the final version is transmitted to the Presidency.

He explained that after a bill is read a third time and passed, amendments must be properly organised and incorporated into the final text before it is forwarded for presidential assent.

Dafeamekpor also rejected claims that the President’s failure to immediately declare that he would sign the bill signals hesitation.

“But those are proceedings under the Constitution available to him,” he said.

He argued that the President was merely outlining the legal options available to him once the bill arrives at his office.

The Majority Chief Whip further pointed to criticisms levelled against former President Nana Akufo-Addo over his handling of the same bill.

“One of the criticisms against President Akufo-Addo is that even when he objected to assenting to it, he ought to have triggered the provision that empowered him to refer the bill back to Parliament with a recommendation. He didn’t do that,” Dafeamekpor said.

Pressed on whether Mahama gave him confidence that he would ultimately sign the bill, Dafeamekpor said the President’s commitment was beyond doubt.

“Look, I have engaged the President privately on the matter. I have engaged him in a group. We have engaged him as a Parliamentary leadership. We have engaged him as a caucus. We have engaged him as a party. He’s committed.”

He added, “Remember, he was our flagbearer before he became President. It was part of our campaign promise. He will sign it, and I’m telling you, the President won’t shy away from it.

“He had made a promise to the clergy that it will be signed. He’s not walking away from that.”

Dafeamekpor also dismissed the Minority’s challenge to the bill’s passage, describing allegations of a lack of quorum as baseless.

“The quorum reference by the President was as a result of the empty storm that the Minority are generating,” he said, insisting there was no evidence to support claims that Parliament lacked the numbers required to pass the bill.

He disclosed that the post-passage scrutiny process could be completed within one or two weeks.

“It’s quite a skeletal bill. The post-passage scrutiny may be completed in a week or two. I expect it will be remitted to the President’s office within a week or two. When that is done, he will sign it.”

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)