Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill: Bagbin appeals to Parliament to revisit passage process

The controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, has encountered a fresh obstacle after Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, directed the House to revisit emerging issues linked to the passage over concerns that parliamentary procedures were not fully complied with.

The move introduces another layer of uncertainty for the bill, which was passed by Parliament on May 29, 2026, and has since attracted widespread debate both locally and internationally.

I was surprised when the anti-gay bill was passed on Friday - Speaker Bagbin

The latest development has brought into question whether the bipartisan support captured in the committee report on the bill was adequately visited during proceedings on the floor of Parliament.

According to the Speaker, the committee responsible for considering the legislation indicated in its report that members from both the Majority and Minority sides unanimously supported the bill.

He, however, noted that the same level of consensus was not clearly demonstrated when the legislation was considered and passed by the House.

Bagbin was of the view that a committee report ought to present a unanimous position by members from both sides of the aisle.

The agreement should be evident throughout the legislative process, including deliberations and decision-making on the floor.

The Speaker subsequently requested Parliament to revisit the matter to ensure that the legislative record accurately reflects the bipartisan support contained in the committee's report.

Meanwhile, there has been widespread debates on the process that led to the bill's passage.

Adding to the uncertainty, President John Dramani Mahama has indicated that the bill still has several hurdles to be cleared before it can become law.

Speaking at Chatham House in London on June 1, 2026, President Mahama stressed that the legislation remains subject to legal and constitutional review before a presidential assent.

“Once the president gets it, you go through it because you’re not part of the discussion in Parliament,” he said.

“The legal representative, the legal counsel in the Presidency and the Attorney General would sit on it … and make sure that everything is in order before the president is advised to assent,” he added.

The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill seeks to prohibit LGBTQ activities and advocacy in Ghana. While proponents argue that the legislation is necessary to protect Ghanaian cultural and family values, critics contend that it raises serious questions about human rights and constitutional freedoms.

NA/VPO