Parliament rescinds decision on third reading of anti-gay bill

Parliament has rescinded its earlier decision taken on May 29, 2026, on the third reading of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, popularly known as the Anti-Gay Bill.

This is to allow the House to take the Bill through a second reconsideration stage and correct inconsistencies in the proposed legislation.

The resolution, adopted by the House on Tuesday, November 10,2026, is intended to ensure that provisions of the Bill are thoroughly reviewed and harmonised to address inconsistencies and improve its legal and procedural coherence.

The move followed the adoption of a motion moved by Mr James Agalga, the Majority Leader, and seconded by Mr Nelson-Rockson Dafeamekpor, the Majority Chief Whip and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for South Dayi.

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, explained that the rescission became necessary to enable Parliament to revisit aspects of the Bill with legal inconsistencies and ensure it aligned with parliamentary procedure and legislative standards.

The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, seeks to promote what its proponents describe as traditional family values and regulate matters relating to human sexual rights in Ghana.

The Bill, popularly known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, was first introduced in Parliament as a Private Members’ Bill and generated intense public debate across the country.

Supporters argued that it was necessary to protect Ghanaian cultural and family values, while critics, including human rights groups and some international organisations, raised concerns about its implications for fundamental human rights and freedoms.

An earlier version of the Bill was passed by Parliament in 2024 but did not receive presidential assent before the expiration of the Eighth Parliament.

Following the commencement of the Ninth Parliament, sponsors reintroduced the legislation as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025.

The Bill has since undergone various stages of parliamentary consideration, including committee scrutiny and debates on the floor of the House.

The latest decision to rescind the Third Reading ruling is expected to pave the way for amendments and harmonisation of the text before Parliament resumes reconsideration of the Bill.

GNA