The Majority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament has promised to ensure that a “corrected” version of the country’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill is presented to the President before the end of the year.
The draconian bill, officially named the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, was passed by Parliament in May 2026, after a previously passed 2024 version was allowed to lapse.
Procedural errors delay Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill
Its passage in May was not only condemned by human rights groups for its discriminatory provisions but also came under fire over procedural and other errors in its rushed adoption. This led to a parliamentary review and delays in it being taken further.
Now, Majority Leader James Agalga has confirmed that an amended version will “absolutely” be sent to President John Mahama for his assent in November, before Parliament goes into recess.
He made the promise in comments to Joy News, while also acknowledging that the delays in the legislative process were due to errors included in the bill.
“For instance, how to compute penalty units was completely done in error, in some cases,” he said.
To address these concerns, Parliament needs to correct the mistakes and rescind the third reading of the bill when it was adopted in May. Lawmakers will then be expected to vote again on the adjusted version.
Agalga indicated that any corrections to the proposed law would not be significant. “So, not much of substance would change,” he said.
Speaker threatens to name MPs delaying bill
Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament and a vocal proponent of the Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, earlier threatened to publicly identify any MPs who delay the renewed passage of the bill.
The bill has been described as one of the harshest pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation on the continent. It seeks to criminalise simply identifying as LGBTQ+ or as an ally. It also targets same-sex intimacy and gender-affirming medical services, with penalties of up to three years in prison and fines.
The dissemination or publication of materials that advocate for the equality or affirmation of LGBTQ+ people would carry prison sentences of up to five years. The bill would also disband organisations that support LGBTQ+ rights.
2 Comments
Je suis au Sénégal j’habite
Au Sénégal on cherche les homosexuels mes parents mes parents est décédé je suis seul de mes frères et j’ai envie de se je travaille la maçonnerie les fois je ne travaille pas à cause de toi orientation sexuell????????