Anti-LGBTQI bill to be reintroduced in parliament

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban S.K. Bagbin, has revealed that the widely debated Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, often referred to as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, will be tabled for its first reading during the Second Meeting of the Ninth Parliament.

Addressing lawmakers as Parliament reconvened from its Easter recess on Saturday, March 29, 2025, Mr. Bagbin confirmed that the bill—along with two others, namely the Property Rights of Spouses Bill, 2025, and the Constitution Amendment Bill, 2025—had successfully completed the necessary procedures outlined in Parliament’s Standing Orders and would be laid before the House for consideration.

The legislation seeks to outlaw same-sex relations, as well as the promotion, funding, or advocacy of LGBTQ+ activities. If passed, it would raise the maximum penalty for consensual same-sex acts from three years to five years’ imprisonment and criminalize public or institutional support for LGBTQ+ rights.

The announcement has reignited public debate around civil liberties, Ghanaian cultural values, and constitutional freedoms. Critics, including civil society organizations, have raised alarm over the bill's potential human rights violations and economic consequences.

Dr. Michael Akagbor, Senior Programmes Officer at CDD-Ghana, strongly opposed the proposed law, asserting that moral beliefs should not translate into criminal offenses. “Engaging in behavior that some consider sinful should not amount to a crime,” he remarked, urging lawmakers to reconsider the bill’s implications for democracy and individual rights.

Former President John Dramani Mahama has also weighed in on the matter. While expressing agreement with the principles underpinning the bill, he advised that such a significant legislative move should ideally be initiated by the government rather than private members of Parliament.

Beyond the legal and moral arguments, financial analysts and government officials are warning of serious economic risks. The Ministry of Finance has cautioned that passing the bill could place at risk over $3.8 billion in anticipated World Bank funding. Furthermore, it could complicate Ghana’s ongoing negotiations for a $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund—both vital components of the country’s economic recovery strategy.

As Parliament prepares for the bill’s formal introduction, the nation watches closely, anticipating yet another chapter in Ghana’s ongoing dialogue over human rights, national identity, and global engagement.