After years of anticipation, the much-discussed Affirmative Action Bill finally reached the floor of Parliament. However, the bill has suffered a setback just two weeks into the House's consideration of its provisions.

Former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, argues that several provisions in the yet-to-be-passed legislation are unconstitutional and will be struck out by the Supreme Court if passed.

The bill pushes for equitable election of males and females to Parliament and instructs the Electoral Commission to ensure political parties comply.

Ranking Member on the Gender and Children's Committee Hellen Adjoa Ntoso, who court support for the bill argued that the provision is important to ensure fair representation.

“They shouldn’t forget that females constitute 51.2% in this country so if we talking about equity in political positions likewise decision-making processes that women would have to have equal representation, we are very right,” she said.

But the Tamale South MP says enacting such a law without first amending some constitutional provisions will be unlawful.

Quoting Article 94 of the constitution, he insisted that political parties cannot be forced to field female candidates in parliamentary elections.

“We are all elected by political parties to contest as Members of Parliament… how can the Electoral Commission regulate political parties that there should be parity of women?

“We should rather come and amend the constitution.…Political parties cannot say that in Ashanti, we want to dedicate more seats to women because we can likely project that they can be MPs. You can legislate. It is not a competitive election, Tamale South, Adaklu is opened whether male or female, go and run a competitive election and come to Parliament, that is what the constitution provides,” he said.

The bill also requires that media houses portray females in a positive light, another provision Mr Iddrisu says is unconstitutional as media houses and journalists are granted the freedom over their editorial policies and not subject to any control.

“The woman must merit positive reportage if she behaves positively like any other man,” he stated.