Bagbin vows to pass anti-LGBT bill when Parliament resumes

Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill, officially known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, will be passed by the 9^th Parliament when the House resumes in May for its next meeting, and the passed bill will be sent to President John Mahama for him to sign into law, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has announced.

“Forget the rumour mongers. I am a man of action, and I will pass the bill,” Speaker Bagbin noted over the weekend during his address at the Kasoa Traditional Leaders and Stakeholders Forum.

“Be sure, I am there; the law will be passed,” Bagbin added and e disclosed that President John Mahama had personally promised him the bill would be signed into law once Parliament completes its final passage.

The Speaker said the current composition of Parliament is better positioned to successfully pass the bill once it reconvenes; therefore, there is no cause for alarm or any need to play partisan politics over the passage of the bill.

The Speaker made the comments in response to recent public concerns that the John Mahama administration was departing from its initial position on the anti-LGBT bill.

Tongues went wagging when, on March 30, President Mahama told civil society organisations that although the anti-LGBT bill is important, it is not among the government’s immediate priorities.

This position was reinforced by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who reiterated that the bill is not a priority for the government at this time.

“This is not a major issue. It’s another waste of time. You know, NPP, they specialise in wasting the time of everybody… When Ghanaians wake up in the morning, their focus is on how to get to work, how to earn a salary, and how to make ends meet. Is that bill the number one priority of every Ghanaian? It is not. It has no meaning,” Felix Kwakye Ofosu noted when he spoke on The Pulse on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

Despite this position by the President and the Minister in charge of Government Communication, Speaker Bagbin remains confident of passing the bill in no time, urging the public to disregard misinformation. He maintained that the bill has already gone through all the necessary stages and will be passed at the next sitting of Parliament.

“We started, and we processed it. It has gone through all stages, and in the next meeting of Parliament, we will pass that bill into law. So don’t listen to people who don’t know what is in Parliament. Please, I repeat, don’t listen to people who don’t know what is in Parliament,” Alban Bagbin stated.

The anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which has sparked fierce national debate, stalled after former President Nana Akufo-Addo withheld his hand from assenting the passed bill into law, largely because of ongoing constitutional lawsuits at the time and later warnings of major economic risks if the bill became law

Akufo-Addo, when he was President, maintained that he would only consider the bill after the Supreme Court ruled on various legal challenges, which argued that the legislation infringed upon core human rights like privacy and freedom of speech.

But Bagbin says this time is different, despite President John Dramani Mahama indicating that the legislation is not a priority for his administration.

Mr. Bagbin said the current composition of Parliament is better positioned to successfully pass the bill once it reconvenes.

The Bill

The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill seeks to regulate matters related to sexual orientation and family values. It continues to generate intense public debate, attracting both strong support and significant criticism from different sections of society.

The anti-LGBTQ bill, officially reintroduced as a Private Members’ Bill in February 2026, is currently moving through the legislative process once again and has been referred to the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee.

The bill proposes to criminalise both personal identity and public advocacy of same-sex relationships. It imposes severe penalties, including prison sentences of up to three years for identifying as LGBTQ+ or engaging in same-sex sexual acts.

The bill also prescribes a jail term of three to five years for the “willful promotion, sponsorship, or support” of LGBTQ+ activities.

If enacted, “gross indecency”—such as public displays of same-sex romantic relationships or cross-dressing—could result in six to twelve months of imprisonment.

The bill would ban all LGBTQ+ associations, prohibit transgender-related healthcare, and block adoption or fostering by LGBTQ+ individuals.

Additionally, it would make it mandatory for citizens and institutions to report suspected LGBTQ+ activities to the authorities.

Supporters of the bill, including major religious and traditional bodies, argue that it is necessary to protect Ghanaian family values and cultural identity from foreign influence.

In contrast, human rights organizations warn that the law would violate constitutional rights to privacy and freedom of expression.

Politics

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to take decisive action by directing Parliament to fast-track the bill’s passage.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, Rev. Fordjour argued that the President has previously demonstrated the authority to influence parliamentary action. He cited a recent instance where President Mahama ordered the withdrawal of a private member’s bill seeking the removal of the Special Prosecutor—an instruction that lawmakers followed within hours.

According to Rev. Fordjour, a similar directive could be issued to expedite the anti-LGBTQ+ bill if the President considers it a priority.

He stressed that the bill requires no further amendments, describing it as an “old bill” that has already gone through the necessary stages.

Rev. Fordjour further noted that Parliament has fast-tracked at least 33 bills since January 2025, with some passed on the same day they were introduced, suggesting that swift action on this bill is feasible.

However, the push for urgency contrasts with the government’s current stance.