Speaker Alban Bagbin Orders Parliament to Expedite Work on Reintroduced Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill
- The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has issued a strict directive to the committee handling the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025
- Addressing the House upon its resumption on Thursday morning, May 21, 2026, Bagbin demanded that the final committee report be tabled for consideration and passage before the current meeting is adjourned
- The bill was formally reintroduced earlier this year after the previous 2024 version successfully passed the House but expired (timed out) because former President Nana Akufo-Addo refrained from signing it before the 8th Parliament dissolved
The fiercest and most polarised legislative debate in Ghana's modern history is racing toward a definitive climax following an uncompromising directive from the head of the legislature.
Source: Facebook
As Members of Parliament returned to the chamber for the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the 9th Parliament, Speaker Alban Bagbin made it clear that the controversial "Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill" tops the state's legislative priority list.
"The expectations of the citizenry are clear"
Acknowledging the massive public anxiety and civil society discussions surrounding the prolonged delays in enacting the law, the Speaker noted that Parliament cannot afford to drag its feet any further.
“In view of the significance of the bill and the need to advance the legislative process, I urge the committee to present its report for consideration and passage by the House before the end of this meeting. Very important,” Speaker Bagbin stated authoritatively from his chair.
“Parliament has also taken note of the concerns recently expressed by sections of the public and various stakeholders regarding the delay in the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025. We appreciate the keen public interest in this important legislation, and acknowledge the expectations of the citizenry on the matter.”
The Speaker revealed that the designated committee has officially completed its extensive public hearings and stakeholder consultations, effectively clearing any procedural hurdles blocking the bill's second and third readings.
Watch the YouTube video below.
A new political landscape in 2026
The reintroduction of the bill under the new 9th Parliament carries a completely different political weight. While the previous version was kept in a state of indefinite executive limbo by the former administration, the current executive landscape has shifted dramatically.
President John Dramani Mahama, who assumed office in January 2025, has previously signalled his openness to human rights bills that align with local cultural frameworks, meaning that if Parliament successfully passes this 2025 draft, it faces a significantly higher chance of receiving immediate executive assent.
However, international human rights organisations and local advocacy groups like Rightify Ghana continue to wage an intense legal and diplomatic campaign against the document. Activists argue that the bill’s provisions—which include up to three years of imprisonment for identifying as LGBT+ and criminalise advocacy or funding—severely violate constitutional protections of dignity, free expression, and privacy. Financial analysts have also warned that passing the bill could trigger severe economic friction with Western trade partners, a risk the state's mid-year budget review must carefully balance.
Source: YEN.com.gh
