Francis Xavier Sosu, the key sponsor of the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2023, has expressed disappointment in President Akufo-Addo's decision to withhold assent to the bill.
Sosu voiced his concerns, stating that the president seemed to prioritize politics over the protection of human rights and vulnerable women.
In an interview on JoyFM's Newsnight, Sosu criticized the president, suggesting that he might be misled or intentionally choosing politics at the expense of safeguarding women's rights.
He said, “He is choosing politics over protecting vulnerable women in various witch camps probably dying daily.”
Sosu questioned the clarity of the president's justification, especially in light of his endorsement of the bill in 2021 and his call for a cross-party approach. He found it perplexing that President Akufo-Addo was now citing constitutional concerns related to Article 108.
Highlighting the legal processes followed, Sosu emphasized that the Attorney General was involved, expressing confusion over the president's reservations.
He lamented, “For me, for the President to choose petty partisanship over the protection of the greater good of our society, the human rights of our people. For me, it is quite sad.”
Referring to the sequence of events, Sosu noted that the president had initially assented to the bill abolishing the death penalty for ordinary crimes but later withdrew assent for the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2023.
President Akufo-Addo's refusal to sign crucial bills, including the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2023 and the Armed Forces Amendment Bill 2023, citing constitutional concerns, was communicated on December 4.
