Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has expressed dissatisfaction with the Speaker of Parliament's language in a formal statement regarding President Akufo-Addo's stance on assenting to the anti-LGBT+ Bill.In a critical address, Speaker Bagbin accused Akufo-Addo, among other things, of establishing a dangerous precedent for Ghana's democracy by rejecting the transmission of the Bill for assent.

0

Following his 62-point statement, Bagbin adjourned the House sine die without permitting leaders to respond to his views.For Afenyo-Markin, who assumed the role of Majority Leader weeks ago, the Speaker, through his statement, not only disparaged the president but also refused to allow leadership to weigh in on a vital issue.

1

Speaking to the press after the adjournment, Afenyo-Markin stated "Mr Speaker went beyond expressing disagreement and rather pronounced judgment on what, in his view, was wrong."Mr Speaker did not only stop there; he also used very unsavoury words to describe Mr President. We believe that in a democracy, we have our right to disagree on views expressed, but we do not have the right to say things to denigrate another.

2

This, we think, is very unacceptable."Mr Speaker said the President has undermined democracy and that he should have resorted to the Constitution in making certain communications to the House. We in the majority beg to disagree on the position taken by Mr Speaker," he stressed.

3

Regarding the letter from the presidency urging Parliament not to transmit the Bill until two legal cases are resolved, the Majority Leader explained: Afenyo-Markin also lamented what seemed like an unexpected move by Bagbin to adjourn indefinitely without discussing it during meetings to address the day's agenda."This morning, the leadership of the House sat together to discuss the various items to be taken.

4

We have finished some, but there were some that we were supposed to take, and we were told that Mr Speaker would have to take the chair."It is very disappointing that after Mr Sopeaker had made known his own views about the letter sent from the presidency to the clerk, he adjourned the House without giving room for the leadership of the House to even comment."This we find very strange.

5

This is a democracy; we believe, as Mr Speaker himself said, that this 'impasse calls for reflection'. I will play that out to Mr Speaker that we all need to reflect on the way forward as a nation," he added.

6