The Director of Legal Affairs for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, has asserted that the tone of President Akufo-Addo's letter instructing Parliament to "cease and desist" from transmitting the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill to his office was unacceptable.
According to him, the choice of words and the manner in which they were used implied that non-compliance with the directive could result in consequences.
Mr Tameklo's comments follow a letter addressed to Parliament on Monday, March 18, and signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante.
In the letter, the Office of the President officially 'warned' Parliament to refrain from transmitting the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill, commonly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, to President Akufo-Addo for his assent in light of two applications for an order of interlocutory injunction currently before the Supreme Court.
“In the circumstance, you are kindly requested to cease and deist from transmitting the bill to the President until the matters before the Supreme Court are resolved,” the statement read.
But speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on March 23, Mr Tameklo argued that this portion, among others, sounded like a threat.
"Is it not curious that where we have a President who is even a lawyer, one would expect a certain level of sobriety, a certain level of somber reflection, to take decisions that ultimately have an impact on our governance structure?
"Look at the tone of the letter – it is a threat. It is actually a threatening letter. The tone and language do not befit the office," he asserted.
The NDC lawyer also questioned the authority by which the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, issues directives on behalf of the President.
Citing an example, he said Mr. Bediatuo Asante was the same person who signed the President's directive instructing the then Attorney-General, Daniel Domelevo, to proceed on a compulsory leave.
This action, he argued, must be interpreted by the Supreme Court.
"On what authority is Mr Bediatuo Asante purporting to issue that letter? On what statutory or constitutional basis is he putting out that letter? It is becoming one too many, a process that I will describe as 'misconduct'.
“The issue of Domelevo having to go... it is the same Bediatuo who purported to act on the instructions of the president and asked the man to proceed on leave. For the first time in many years, the Supreme Court had the opportunity to describe the conduct of the President, again conveyed by the same Bediatuo Asante, as unconstitutional," he added.
On March 2, 2021, then Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo per the directive of the presidency in July 2020 took an accumulated leave.
The leave which was initially expected to last 123 working days was extended to 167 working days following Mr Domelevo's letter to President Akufo-Addo, urging him to reconsider his directive.
Among other things, the Auditor-General claimed that the directive was a breach of the labour law and was unconstitutional.
Subsequently, on May 23, 2023, the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision described as unconstitutional the directive from the Presidency that asked former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo to proceed on leave.
The court also described as unconstitutional the President’s appointment of an Acting Auditor General while there was a substantive Auditor-General.
Latest Stories
-
Fugitive Zambian MP arrested in Zimbabwe – minister
29 mins -
Town council in Canada at standstill over refusal to take King’s oath
40 mins -
Trump picks Pam Bondi as attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws
52 mins -
Providing quality seeds to farmers is first step towards achieving food security in Ghana
1 hour -
Contraceptive pills recalled in South Africa after mix-up
2 hours -
Patient sues Algerian author over claims he used her in novel
2 hours -
Kenya’s president cancels major deals with Adani Group
2 hours -
COP29: Africa urged to invest in youth to lead fight against climate change
2 hours -
How Kenya’s evangelical president has fallen out with churches
2 hours -
‘Restoring forests or ravaging Ghana’s green heritage?’ – Coalition questions Akufo-Addo’s COP 29 claims
3 hours -
Ensuring peaceful elections: A call for justice and fairness in Ghana
4 hours -
Inside South Africa’s ‘ruthless’ gang-controlled gold mines
4 hours -
Give direct access to Global Health Fund – Civil Society calls allocations
4 hours -
Trudeau plays Santa with seasonal tax break
4 hours -
Prince Harry jokes in tattoo sketch for Invictus
5 hours