Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, says the controversial Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill will undergo a second consideration when Parliament resumes sitting, following the identification of procedural errors in its initial passage.
The decision is aimed at ensuring that the legislation is reconsidered and passed in accordance with Parliament’s Standing Orders and the constitutional requirements governing the legislative process.
Mr Bagbin has stressed that the need to revisit the Bill does not amount to abandoning it, but rather reflects Parliament’s responsibility to uphold due process and protect the integrity of its decisions.
The Speaker previously raised concerns about the manner in which the Bill was passed on May 29, 2026, citing non-compliance with Standing Orders 170, 171 and 172.
These provisions govern the incorporation of amendments agreed to during consideration of a Bill and the minimum interval required before its third reading.
Mr Bagbin argued that procedural safeguards must be respected, warning that errors in the legislative process could undermine the credibility of Parliament’s work and expose the legislation to legal challenges.
The development follows Parliament’s failure to reconsider the Bill before adjourning on July 31, 2026, despite earlier assurances that it would be revisited before the House went on recess.
The proposed legislation has remained one of Ghana’s most divisive public policy issues, attracting strong support from sections of the religious and traditional leadership, alongside opposition from human rights organisations and other civil society groups.
Background to Ghana’s LGBTQ+ Bill
The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, seeks to prohibit LGBTQ+ activities and criminalise certain forms of advocacy, promotion, sponsorship and funding associated with them.
The legislation was first introduced in the Eighth Parliament and passed unanimously on February 28, 2024. However, it did not receive presidential assent before the Eighth Parliament dissolved in January 2025 and therefore lapsed.
The sponsors subsequently reintroduced a new version in the Ninth Parliament, where it went through further consideration and was passed again on May 29, 2026.
The latest version retains the Bill’s central prohibitions but includes changes and clarifications that have generated further debate among lawmakers.
What does the Bill seek to do?
Among other provisions, the proposed law seeks to criminalise same-sex sexual conduct and certain activities involving the promotion or facilitation of LGBTQ+ practices. It also contains provisions concerning advocacy, funding, public displays of same-sex relationships and organisations associated with activities prohibited under the legislation.
The 2024 version prescribed prison terms of six months to three years for certain offences, with longer sentences of three to five years for specified offences involving promotion or sponsorship. The 2026 version has different sentencing provisions, including proposed minimum and maximum prison terms that have become a subject of debate.
By: Bernard Mensah
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