GHANA'S NEW ANTI-LGBTQI LEGISLATION UPDATE AS PARLIAMENT RECESSES:
- 3 days ago
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Updated: 2 hours ago
By Melanie Nathan, July 31, 2026 - Country Conditions Expert on Ghana
UPDATED AUG 01, 2026: Parliament has adjourned sine die, bringing the second meeting of the second session of the Ninth Parliament to a close without reconsidering the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2026.
Parliament has adjourned sine die, bringing the second meeting of the second session of the Ninth Parliament to a close without reconsidering the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2026, widely referred to as the anti-LGBTQ bill.
This is despite an earlier assurance by Speaker Alban Bagbin that the House would likely rescind its decision on the passage of the bill to allow for the review of three key clauses aimed at strengthening the sentencing regime before its re-passage.
Although a motion to rescind the earlier decision was listed on the Order Paper for Friday, July 31, 2026, the House was unable to adopt it before adjournment.
Where does this leave the Bill? It leaves it in place- exactly where it stood at the time before tje Promise was made to Imam - pending attestation. However these events, in my opinion likely mean that the Motion to reconsider will be brought back when Parliament returns. The Bill will likely go forward with amendments. The question remains will it be only the punishment clauses that are reworked, plus the procedural aspects corrected, or will the current voices of hardliners influence the Bill making it even more onerous than it is at this juncture.
More here: https://www.citinewsroom.com/.../parliament-adjourns.../ UPDATED AUG 31, 2026 - Parliament Reconsiders Anti-LGBTQ Bill Following Concerns Over Amendments
The Parliament of Ghana scheduled a motion to revoke its decision to pass the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 (anti-LGBTQ bill), on 19 May 2026. If approved, the motion would return the Bill to Parliament for reconsideration and possible passage.
Hardliners, including the Speaker of Parliament and some proponents of the Bill, believe that amendments adopted before its passage weakened its original objectives.
However, it remains unclear whether the reconsideration is also intended to introduce non-custodial sentences into the Bill.
This comes following the recent passage of Ghana’s Community Service Bill, 2026, which establishes non-custodial sentencing as an alternative to imprisonment for individuals convicted of specified minor offences. The legislation applies to offences punishable by a prison term of three years or less. UPDATED: JULY 31, 2026 - AFTER CLOSE OF PARLIAMENT AND RECESS CALL: One Report indicated that - SPEAKER BAGBIN successfully pushed through the reconsideration stage to review the targeted sentencing provisions. The adjustment was finalized to align the bill's punishment regime and clean up clerical flaws before sending the clean copy for presidential assent. The core criminalization and identity clauses remained unchanged. HOWEVER THIS IS A CONFUSING and unlikely outcome.
Before the Chief Imam, Parliament Invokes "God's Decree"
Ghana's Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was passed by Parliament in May 2026 after being reintroduced in January 2025, following the expiration of an earlier version that lapsed when former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo left office without signing it. President John Dramani Mahama likewise did not immediately assent to the Bill, indicating that further constitutional and procedural steps were required before it could proceed. Today, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin announced that the Bill would be returned to Parliament for limited amendments to three sentencing provisions before being passed again prior to the parliamentary recess. Significantly, this announcement was made during a visit to Ghana's National Chief Imam, illustrating the close relationship between religious leadership and the legislative process surrounding the Bill. In the video, Bagbin seeks to reassure the Chief Imam that the legislation will be enacted without delay, invoking God's authority to justify its passage.
He declared that failure to pass the Bill would amount to acting "against the decree of God," adding that "both Muslims and Christians agree" on its necessity. In a country where Christians comprise approximately 71% of the population and Muslims roughly 18–20%, these remarks underscore the powerful influence that religious consensus exerts over the political process. The timing is also noteworthy. Only days earlier, Ghana hosted the 4th Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Accra, at which representatives from 18 African legislatures reportedly endorsed a resolution committing themselves to advancing increasingly restrictive anti-LGBTQ legislation across the continent. Taken together, these developments demonstrate that Ghana's Bill is not an isolated domestic measure but part of a broader regional movement in which religious conviction, political leadership, and legislative action are increasingly intertwined. President Mahama has indicated that he will sign the Bill after it undergoes fixes. None of these fixes include taking out the most harmful of clauses. The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill extends far beyond criminalizing same-sex conduct. As analyzed by Human Rights Watch, it criminalizes identity itself by penalizing people who identify as LGBTTQAP or certain other sexual and gender minorities; suppresses expression and advocacy by imposing severe prison terms for promoting, supporting, or attempting to change public opinion regarding LGBTQ rights; restricts association and funding by prohibiting organizations and financial support connected to LGBTQ issues; targets allies, exposing journalists, lawyers, healthcare providers, researchers, teachers, and human rights defenders to potential prosecution for carrying out their professional responsibilities; limits access to information on sexuality and gender identity; and imposes a mandatory reporting obligation requiring citizens to report suspected violations to authorities. Taken together, the Bill reaches well beyond private conduct, creating a legal framework that regulates identity, speech, association, professional practice, and even the duty of citizens to report one another.
Here is the Video showing the attempt to appease of the Imam and the Speaker's promise.