Founder and CEO of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has voiced concerns about the recent disagreement between President Akufo-Addo and Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin regarding the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-gay bill.

Cudjoe expressed apprehension that the standoff between the executive and the legislature could have negative repercussions on the economy. 

He stressed that while the issue at hand is significant, it has been amplified beyond proportion and could lead to serious consequences if not addressed appropriately.

During an interview with Accra-based Citi TV on Saturday, March 23, Mr Cudjoe urged both the Presidency and Parliament to explore more effective ways of resolving their differences to prevent further escalation.

“We are economically saddled, if we don’t talk about gay issues won’t we eat? My only worry is that the impasse could have certain tolls on the economy and the governance process. But indeed, we should learn and be wiser out of this particular care, if we manage to get through to it,” he said. 

Currently, there is an impasse over the transmission of the Bill from Parliament to the Presidency. 

The President halted the transmission of the anti-gay bill to him citing a pending court case, while the Speaker of Parliament suspended the approval of new ministerial nominees in retribution, also citing the pendency of a court case.

This deadlock has left many Ghanaians disheartened, questioning why two organs of state cannot work together to safeguard the country's values and cultural systems.