Parliament set for heated showdown as MPs revisit controversial LGBTQ+ Bill Akufo-Addo declined to sign today
Ghana’s Parliament is set for a charged session today as ten Members of Parliament debate the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 widely known as the LGBTQ+ Bill.
The Bill, one of the most divisive in the country’s recent legislative history, seeks to regulate sexual rights and orientation-related conduct in Ghana while promoting what its sponsors call “traditional family and moral values.”
Leading today’s motion are Assin South MP John Ntim Fordjour and Ningo-Prampram MP Samuel Nartey George, two of the most vocal advocates for the legislation.
The MPs scheduled to contribute to the debate include Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzra (Ho West), Helen Adjoa Ntoso (Krachi West), Nurideen Muhammad Mummuni (Nalerigu/Gambaga), Vincent Ekow Assafuah (Old Tafo), Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana (Gushegu), Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (Dadekotopon), Dr. Tiah Abdul Kabiru Mahama (Walewale), and Anthony Mmieh (Odotobri).
The Bill seeks to criminalise same-sex relationships, the promotion or funding of LGBTQ+ activities, and public advocacy for related rights. It also makes provisions for counselling and rehabilitation for individuals found engaging in LGBTQ+ practices.
Background of the Bill
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was first introduced in Parliament in 2021 as a Private Member’s Bill by eight MPs led by Samuel Nartey George. It was tabled in response to growing public concern over the perceived promotion of LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana.
After multiple rounds of public consultations and legal scrutiny by the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee—which received over 150 memoranda from religious bodies, civil society groups, and human rights organisations—the Bill was passed by Parliament in February 2024 with strong bipartisan support.
However, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo did not assent to the Bill before leaving office, citing the need for further constitutional review and international consultations. His decision effectively stalled the legislation, leaving it in legal limbo despite its parliamentary approval.
Supporters argue that the Bill protects Ghana’s cultural and moral identity, while opponents, including several human rights organisations and international partners, warn that it violates fundamental freedoms and could harm Ghana’s global reputation.
Today’s debate marks a renewed push by lawmakers under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration to clarify the Bill’s status and determine the next steps toward either reaffirming, amending, or reintroducing it for presidential assent.