President John Dramani Mahama has publicly committed to giving his assent to the re-introduced Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, stating his government’s alignment with the bill’s core principles.
The President made the declaration on Tuesday when the Christian Council paid a courtesy call to the Presidency.
During his address, the President left no room for doubt about his stance.
“If you want the position of my government, marriage is between man and woman. A person’s gender is determined at birth. And then also that the family is a foundation of our nation. That is our position,” he stated.
He explained that the previous bill, which was passed during the last Parliament, was never submitted to the President for assent due to a legal injunction. As a result, the bill lapsed with the dissolution of that Parliament.
“By the constitution, any bill that is not assented to by the president before the expiration of the life of Parliament expires. And so it means that the bill has to be re-laid in the House,” the President told the clergy
The President expressed his full support for the bill’s return to the legislative floor. “We agree with the speaker to re-lay the bill and let Parliament debate it,” he said.
He concluded with a pledge, assuring the Christian Council of his final action once the parliamentary process is complete.
“If the Parliament of the people of Ghana endorse the bill and vote on it and pass it and it comes to me as president, “I will sign it,” he stated.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
