Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill: High Court Adjourns Mr. Boama-Sefa’s Suit Against Speaker And A-G to July 29

There has been a bottleneck in the normal hearing of the suit filed by Mr. Paul Boama-Sefa regarding the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill (Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill). An Accra High Court has adjourned the suit to 29th July 2024.

Mr. Paul Boama-Sefa, has sued the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General seeking an order from the court to restrain the Parliament of Ghana from proceeding with the passage and all other statutory processes relating to the Anti-LGBTQI+ bill.

According to Mr. Paul Boama-Sefa the plaintiff, the Parliament of Ghana breached certain provisions of the constitution of Ghana whiles processing the Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill.

Citing Section 100 (1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), Mr. Boama-Sefa asserted that the Speaker of Parliament failed to comply with the provisions made by the law.

Section 100(1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016(Act 921) states that any legislation to be laid before Parliament or proposal submitted for the approval of Parliament shall be accompanied by a fiscal impact analysis stating the estimated effect on revenues and expenditures for the financial year in which the legislation or proposal is expected to come into effect.

When the case was called, lawyers of Paul Boama-Sefa led by Benedict Nii Kraku prayed the court for an extension of four weeks to file written submissions. The lawyers of the Attorney-General and the Speaker also asked for time to file same.

The presiding Judge Ellen Mireku granted the requests of all parties involved and ordered them to file their written submissions within the extended four weeks, and consequently adjourned the hearing to July 29, 2024.

Reminder: The plaintiff’s argument is that Parliament did not comply with section 100 (1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016(Act 921) and is therefore seeking a declaration that the failure of the Speaker of Parliament to perform his obligation and the failure of the Attorney-General to insist on same that the Bill be accompanied by a fiscal impact analysis, has rendered all the processes leading to the passage of the Bill, invalid.

The suit which was filed in May 2023 additionally seeks the court to restrain the Speaker, his deputies and others from proceeding with any processes regarding the bill until section 100 (1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016(Act 921) is complied with.