Ghana’s Supreme Court adjourned a decision on Wednesday on a request to prevent parliament from submitting a contentious anti-LGBTQ bill to President Nana Akufo-Addo for final approval.
The verdict means that debate over the measure, which has dominated Ghana’s political discourse since parliament enacted it in February, will be excluded from the presidential election campaign in December.
The five-member Supreme Court panel, chaired by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, has agreed to expedite the case. However, the matter has been deferred indefinitely, with no date set for future proceedings.
Ghana’s Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, praised the court’s ruling and its approach.
Two lawsuits are challenging the passage of the so-called “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill,” which has been widely condemned as endangering human rights.
The bill, which stipulates jail terms of six months to three years for engaging in LGBTQ sex and sentences of three to five years for promoting or sponsoring LGBTQ activities, has drawn condemnation from rights activists but gained wide support in the conservative West African state.
Two lawsuits are challenging the passage of the so-called “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill”, which has faced widespread international criticism for curbing human rights.
Ghana’s finance ministry has warned that the country, emerging from its worst economic crisis in decades and under a $3 billion loan programme from the International Monetary Fund, risks losing close to $3.8 billion in World Bank financing due to the bill.
Akufo-Addo, who is stepping down after two terms, has refused to sign the bill, citing various legal proceedings against it.
In the 2019 presidential election, his ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will compete in a close contest with the main opposition National Democratic Congress.
The measure, often known as the anti-gay bill, has received considerable international condemnation, including from the United Nations, the United States, and the British government.
Despite this, it enjoys widespread support among MPs and is supported by a combination of Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian traditional leaders.
