Madina member of parliament, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has condemned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for refusing to sign the Witchcraft and two other bills.

Francis-Xavier Sosu criticized the president's denial, describing it as "highly regressive and indicative of a lack of good faith."

The bills under consideration include the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2022; the Criminal Offences Amendment Number Two Bill, 2023; and the Armed Forces Amendment Bill.

Reacting to the president's letter outlining his decision, Sosu conveyed his surprise, especially regarding the claim of constitutional violations. He emphasized that both bills had successfully passed through consensus at committee and plenary levels, making their rejection at this juncture perplexing.

"It is quite strange that at this last stage, the President would say that the bill has violated some Constitutional provisions. Once a bill has been admitted and has gone through all the processes and passed, it has become an act of Parliament. And no provision in the Constitution says that when an act has been by Parliament, the President can choose not to assent to the act on grounds that that act or its enforcement will in some respect have a charge on the Consolidated Fund,” he said.

Sosu highlighted how the president had misunderstood Article 108 and claimed that the bills, which sought to address social issues that affected members who were more vulnerable, had been incorrectly rejected.

“So, the president misconstrued article 108 when he gave that as a basis to refuse an assent and it is quite retrogressive and unfortunate. Unfortunate because we are talking about a social problem that is destroying people, the life of most vulnerable people of our society — elderly women, widows, marginalised,” he said.

He emphasized that the dismissal was "backward and regrettable," particularly considering the significance of the bills in addressing human rights abuses.

Sosu censured the president for not furnishing specific reasons and recommended amendments within the constitutionally stipulated 14 days, opting for a general statement instead.

He underscored the bills' international acclaim during the Universal Peer Review in Geneva, where Ghana's Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, recognized them as progressive measures addressing human rights abuses.