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A seven-member Supreme Court panel, chaired by Justice Lovelace Avril Johnson, has unanimously dismissed a petition challenging the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. The petition was filed by broadcast journalist and lawyer Richard Dela Sky.
Sky had sought to have the controversial bill declared void, but the court upheld the legislative process behind the proposed anti-LGBTQI legislation, affirming its constitutionality.
The bill, which has fueled intense national debate, seeks to criminalize advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) causes. If passed into law, it would impose penalties on individuals who fund, promote, or indirectly support LGBTQI-related activities.
Proponents argue that the bill is essential to safeguard Ghanaian cultural and family values from what they perceive as the influence of foreign ideologies. However, critics, including human rights groups, contend that the bill infringes on fundamental rights such as equality before the law, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.
The legal challenge also included a petition from equality and inclusion activist Amanda Odoi. Both Odoi and Sky argued that the bill’s passage violated constitutional requirements for parliamentary quorum as outlined in Articles 102 and 104 of Ghana’s Constitution.
The Supreme Court’s ruling clears a significant legal hurdle for the bill, paving the way for further parliamentary deliberation and deepening the ongoing debate about its impact on human rights and governance in Ghana.
Source:Omanghana.com
