One group wey dey call dem Arise Ghana togeda wit some religious groups don hit di streets to protest against di delay by di supreme court to deliver judgement on di injunction application against di anti-lgbtq bill.
Di group bin bash di chief justice Gertrude Torkonoo say im and di attorney general dey drag dia feet for di mata for di Supreme Court.
Two pipo – one human rights advocate and anoda journalist carry di mata go di Supreme Court say di ‘proper human sexual and family values bill’ wey be popularly called anti-LGBTQ bill, dey unconstitutional.
Dey tok say make di Supreme Court declare di process wey parliament take pass di bill into law as illegal.
Dr Amanda Odoi and Richard Sky both wan make di Supreme Court put injunction on top di mata wey go prevent parliament from sending di bill to di president say make im sign am.
Parliament pass di anti-lgbtq bill on 17 July 2024, but President Akufo-Addo tok say im no fit sign am sake of pipo carry di mata go court, so im go wait afta di court decide di mata, den im go take action for top.
Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo for di last court hearing on 17 July, tok say di Supreme Court go put di two different court cases togeda and deliver one judgment on am.
She tok say di court go “reserve di verdict on di injunction application until say di substantive suit wia dey challenge di legality of di human sexual rights and family values bill 2024, dey determined.”
Di supreme court tok say dem go sabi “render comprehensive judgment wia go deal wit all aspects of di case together wit di current injunction application.”
Since den di courts don go legal vacation wia dem dey resume later dis October, but sponsors of di anti-lgbtq bill say di court don dey delay di case.
One of di sponsors of di bill, lawmaker Samuel Nartey George say di delay dey vex dem.
Im add say di chief justice gat di power to demand say all di parties for di case file dia processes within some timeframe.
“If everybody go take one year to file dia documents for dis mata, di chief justice go sit down and wait for di pipo to do wetin dey want?”
Inside one exclusive interview wit BBC pidgin, di commissioner of human rights and administrative justice (CHRAJ), oga Joseph Whittal tok say di Supreme Court go do dis work, make pipo no put pressure for dia top.
“Di judiciary dey like di oda arms of goment, dey go ensure say dey check all di facts of di mata including di constitution of di kontri and rule for dis case, so make di sponsors no give dem pressure.”
Oga Whittal tok say as commission wey gat to protect pipo dia rights, dis anti-lgbtq law get some provisions wey dey against di rights of pipo for di lgbtq community.
Supreme court explain why di case delay
Even bifor di pipo go hit di street, di registrar of di Supreme Court for one press conference tok say na di parties for di case wey don dey delay di mata.
Justice Ellen Ofer-Ayeh wia also be high court judge deny claims say na di Supreme Court wey dey delay di process.
“All parties to dis suit fail to file dia memorandum of issues, two defendants wey be di attorney general and parliament also bin fail to file dia defense within di period wey di rules of court bin provide.”
Im add say “parliament now don file one application wey dem ask for more time to file dia defense, wia we go hear dat application within one week of di Supreme Court sitting wey be 15-17 October.”
But sponsors of di bill say dey still go demonstrate and present petition to di attorney general and di chief justice ova di delay.
Di Ghana Pentecostal and charismatic council tok dia members say make dey enta street for dis protest to demand say di Supreme Court to judge di mata quick quick.
Many oda religious groups bin dey join di protest.
Some of di provisions for di new anti-LGBTQ bill
For dis new human rights and sexual values bill 2024, pesin wey don engage for LGBTQ activities go fit go jail for between six months and three years.
Na so pesin wey advertise and promote LGBT activities go enta jail for up to ten years.
Dis advert or promotion go fit be through technology, social media or traditional media.
Also pesin wey sponsor LGBT activities go dey against di law.
Dis dey attract fine of not less dan 750 penalty units (9,000 Ghana cedis, $720) or not more dan 5,000 penalty units wey be (60,000 Ghana cedis, $4,800).
One clause for di law also dey criminalize physical attack on pipo wey dey involve in LGBT activities.
Anoda clause for di law prohibit formation of LGBT groups.
For pesin wey wan do gender reassignment through surgery, na crime for dis new law.
Such pipo also neva go fit adopt pikin for any facility or social welfare agency.
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