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The immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency, Henry Kwabena Kokofu has appealed to Parliament to rescind its decision on stalling the approval of the ministerial appointees by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, in a letter signed by his Executive Secretary, Nana Asante Bediatuo, admonished Parliament not to transmit the anti-LGBTQ+ bill to him to assent to it.

The President quoted some legal cases pending at the Supreme Court challenging the bill as the basis for his request.

Portions of the letter read; “This office is aware of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction, both filed on 7th March, 2024 in the Supreme Court in Dr. Amanda Odoi v. The Speaker of Parliament and The Attorney-General (J1/13/2023) and Richard Sky v. The Parliament of Ghana and The Attorney-General (J1/9/2024) respectively, to restrain you and Parliament from transmitting the Bill to the President and, also, to restrain the President from signifying his assent to the Bill, pending the final determination of the matter.

“It is the understanding of this Office that both applications have also been duly served on Parliament. Therefore, it would be improper for you to transmit the Bill to the President and equally improper for this Office to receive the Bill until the Supreme Court determines the matters raised in the suits…In the circumstances, you are kindly requested to cease and desist from transmitting the Bill to the President until the matters before the Supreme Court are resolved.”

In response to the President, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin also noted that similarly there is a case in court enjoining Parliament from approving the Ministers and Deputy Ministers-designate, hence directed that the House will no longer go through with the process.

He said; “Hon Members, I also bring to your attention, the receipt of a process from the Courts titled Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor vrs the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney-General (Suit no. J1/12/2024) which process was served on the 19th of March 2024 and an injunction motion on notice seeking to restrain the Speaker from proceeding with the vetting and approval of the names of the persons submitted by His Excellency the President until the provisions of the constitution are satisfied."

"Hon. members in the light of this process, the House is unable to continue to consider the nominations of His Excellency the President in the 'spirit of upholding the rule of law' until after the determination of the application for interlocutory injunction by the Supreme Court.” 

Discussing the matter during Peace FM's Friday edition of "Kokrokoo" morning show, Henry Kokofu pleaded with the House to reconsider their decision.

To him, "Ghanaians are not prepared for this banter" between them and the Executive arm of government, hence called on the lawmakers to "resolve this issue and let's move on".

He was optimistic that the House would heed his call for the appointees to begin their official duties.