Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, has called for a formal inquiry into serious allegations made against him and Parliament following the recent ‘Family Values March.’
The claims, raised during a press conference by the Association of Judges and Magistrates, have been dismissed by George as unfounded and harmful to the integrity of Parliament.
Speaking to the media in Parliament on Friday, October 18, Sam George voiced his concern over what he described as a deliberate effort to damage Parliament’s reputation.
He also signalled his intention to bring the matter before the Privileges Committee of Parliament, where he plans to have the spokesperson of the Judges’ Association substantiate the claims.
The press conference, held by the Association of Judges and Magistrates, alleged that the participants in the Family Values March, led by George on October 8, 2024, disrupted the operations of the Supreme Court.
Same George strongly denied these claims, stating that the march was peaceful and aimed solely at demanding a trial timetable from the Chief Justice.
“We complied in the interest of public peace. The allegations of attempting to visit mayhem on the Supreme Court of Ghana are very grave and need to be investigated. These untruths must be addressed, and those responsible must be held to account,” Sam George said, emphasizing that the march followed prior agreements with the Ghana Police Service.
During the Family Values March, the coalition made up of clergy, traditional authorities, and civil society organizations, petitioned the Chief Justice, urging her to fulfil her promise of an early trial on cases related to Ghana’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues.
The Ningo Prampram legislator noted that the petition was a call for clarity on the trial timetable, and at no point did it ask the Chief Justice to rule in their favour.
He said, “We simply asked for the Chief Justice to provide a timetable for the early trial she promised,” he said, adding that swift actions had been taken in other cases of national interest, yet the current LGBTQ+ case has faced delays.
Sam George cited two instances where the judiciary had acted quickly: in the ‘Rockson Dafeamekpor v AG’ case, which was heard and dismissed within 24 hours, and the ‘Bernard Ahiafor and two others v Minister for Finance case,’ which was similarly fast-tracked.
The Ningo Prampram MP also raised concerns about what he perceived as a selective application of judicial speed.
He argued that while certain cases received swift rulings, the ongoing LGBTQ+ case has languished without resolution, despite the Chief Justice initially setting a July 17, 2024, ruling date.
“It is a palpable falsehood for anyone to claim that the injunction case before the Supreme Court is not ripe for judgment. All pleadings and arguments have been made before the Supreme Court, and the Chief Justice scheduled a date for ruling,” he said.
Sam George quoted a recent ruling from the Supreme Court that upheld Section 104(1) of the Criminal Offenses Act, which criminalizes unnatural carnal knowledge.
He urged the court, led by the Chief Justice, to act in the same manner and expedite the current case in question, respecting the overwhelming public sentiment in favour of Ghanaian family values.