Majority Chief Whip Lockson Nelson Dafaamekpol has defended President John Mahama’s current feedback on the Human Sexual Rights and Household Values Invoice.
South Dye maintained that the president stays dedicated to signing the invoice as soon as the parliamentary course of is full.
His remarks got here after President Mahama ended a gathering at London’s Chatham Home with out explicitly stating whether or not he would comply with the invoice as soon as it reached his desk.
As a substitute, it outlined the constitutional and administrative procedures that might be adopted earlier than making a last determination.
The president’s feedback sparked controversy, with critics questioning whether or not he would proceed to observe by way of on key marketing campaign guarantees.
Showing on Pleasure Information’ PM Categorical on Monday, Dafa Amekpol dismissed these considerations and insisted that the president’s place is in line with parliamentary and constitutional processes.
“It’s pertinent that the President referred to the truth that Congress nonetheless processes the invoice earlier than it’s submitted to the President,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the invoice is at the moment present process what Congress calls “post-passage scrutiny and drafting,” a course of aimed toward consolidating and organizing all permitted amendments earlier than the ultimate model is distributed to the president.
He defined that after the invoice is learn a 3rd time and handed, the amendments have to be correctly sorted out and included into the ultimate textual content earlier than being submitted for presidential approval.
Dafaamekpol additionally rejected claims that the president’s failure to instantly declare that he would signal the invoice confirmed hesitation.
“However these are procedures accessible to him below the Structure,” he mentioned.
He argued that the president was solely outlining the authorized choices accessible to him as soon as the invoice reaches the presidential palace.
The Majority Whip additionally identified that former President Nana Akufo-Addo has been criticized for his dealing with of the invoice.
“One of many criticisms of President Akufo-Addo is that he ought to have invoked the clause that might give him the ability to ship the invoice again to parliament on suggestion even when he opposed the consent. He didn’t do this,” Dafa-Amekpor mentioned.
Requested whether or not Mr Mahama had given him confidence that he would in the end signal the invoice, Mr Dafaamekpol mentioned there was little question in regards to the President’s dedication.
“Look, I’ve engaged with the president personally on this problem. I’ve engaged him as a gaggle. We have engaged him as a Congressional chief. We have engaged him as a caucus. We have engaged him as a celebration. He is dedicated.”
He added, “Bear in mind, he was our customary bearer earlier than he turned president. That was a part of our marketing campaign promise. He’ll signal it, and I inform you, the president will not draw back from it.”
“He made a dedication to signal the clergy. He is not going to stroll away from that.”
Dafaamekpol additionally dismissed the minority problem to the invoice’s passage, saying the shortage of quorum declare was baseless.
“The President’s reference to a quorum was the results of an empty storm being stirred by the minority,” he mentioned, arguing that there was no proof to help the declare that Congress lacked the required numbers to go the invoice.
He mentioned the post-passing evaluation course of might be accomplished inside one to 2 weeks.
“It is a very laborious invoice. As soon as it is handed, the scrutiny could also be over inside every week or two. I believe it is going to be despatched to the Workplace of the President inside every week or two. As soon as that is achieved, the president will signal it.”
