Majority Chief Rockson Nelson Dafaamekpol has dismissed strategies that President John Mahama is on the fence in regards to the controversial LGBTQ+ invoice.
He maintained that the president stays dedicated to signing the invoice into regulation as soon as the parliamentary course of is full.
His feedback got here after President Mahama defined in a current interview at Chatham Home in London that there was nonetheless some procedural work to be achieved in Parliament earlier than the invoice may very well be despatched to the President for consideration.
The President additionally indicated that constitutional and administrative procedures, together with consultations, obtainable beneath the regulation will probably be adopted.
Showing on Pleasure Information’ PM Categorical on Monday, Rep. South Day argued that critics had been intentionally misreading the president’s feedback and creating pointless controversy over a easy legislative course of.
He mentioned the president’s reference to the post-passage scrutiny course of is totally in line with parliamentary observe.
“What the president mentioned can also be now a part of our standing orders, which is that if a invoice is debated and handed and handed on third studying, we’ll do what we name post-passage scrutiny and drafting,” he mentioned.
He defined that amendments accredited in the course of the invoice’s consideration have to be correctly included into the ultimate doc earlier than it’s submitted to the President.
“It is like masonry and it’s a must to put them in place. Proper now the bricks are scattered, so as soon as they’re accredited, it’s a must to use mortar to place them collectively and put them in that order,” he mentioned.
Dafaamekpol additionally rejected claims that the invoice’s passage may very well be overturned as a result of lack of quorum, saying such arguments had been baseless.
“The president’s advice for a quorum was the results of an empty storm created by the minority,” he mentioned.
“You are saying there is a constitutional allegation and that is rebuttable. The proof you used, the bodily proof you used to rebut this, you do not have it.”
He argued that the objections weren’t raised on the important stage of the invoice’s passage and that critics had been attempting to problem the method after the actual fact.
Turning to the political debate surrounding the invoice, Dafaamekpol mentioned opponents had anticipated the invoice to be a burden to the ruling Nationwide Democratic Congress, however had been as an alternative stunned by the occasion’s willingness to push it ahead.
“They’re shocked and surprised that the NDC really had the braveness to go this invoice. They assume this invoice will cling like an albatross round our necks after which dance round.”
The Majority Whip maintained that there was no query of President Mahama’s dedication to the invoice.
“Look, I’ve engaged with the president personally on this situation. I’ve engaged him as a gaggle. We have engaged him as a legislative chief. We have engaged him as a caucus. We have engaged him as a celebration. He is dedicated.”
“Keep in mind, he was our normal bearer earlier than he grew to become president. It was a part of our marketing campaign promise. He’ll signal it, and I let you know, the president won’t draw back from it.”
“He had a dedication to signal the clergy. He isn’t going to stroll away from that.”
Mr Dafeamekpor revealed that the remaining parliamentary work on the invoice ought to be accomplished quickly.
“It is a pretty skeletal invoice. It is not as giant because the authorized schooling invoice. So post-passage scrutiny may very well be accomplished in per week or two.”
“I count on will probably be despatched to the Workplace of the President inside per week or two. As soon as that is achieved, the President will signal it.”
