Anti- LGBTQ Bill: The Allegedly 'Smuggled' Changes Causing NPP MPs to Cry Foul

• Controversy erupted over the controversial amendments to the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill
• Amendments to Clause 9 now include specific exemptions for lawful activities related to helping members of the LGBTQ community
• Supporters on the government's side asserted that the bill's core objectives remain unchanged despite opposition claims

The passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was not without even more controversy after certain amendments faced opposition from the minority side of Parliament.

One of the proponents of the Bill on the NPP side, Rev Ntim Fordjour, was visibly upset, claiming the amendments had been smuggled.

“What we are saying is that if an institution, individuals, professionals, are going about their lawful duties, which are not promoting LGBT activities, whether they are lawyers, CHRAJ, journalists, academics, whichever professions, institutions and governmental or non-governmental they are, if those activities are promoting lawful duties or functions, they are already exempted."

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“So why would you come in again and introduce new things, smuggle it in, which we, the sponsors, have not agreed to and not discussed with the sponsors."

The most notable amendment relates to Clause 9, titled "Prohibition of Propaganda of, Promotion of, and Advocacy for Activities Prohibited under this Act."

In the initial bill passed by Parliament on February 28, 2024, Clause 9 prohibited any person from producing, procuring, marketing, broadcasting, disseminating, publishing or distributing material promoting activities prohibited under the Act.

The clause was qualified only by the phrase "subject to the Constitution". No specific exemptions were listed in the legislation.

In the version passed on May 29, 2026, Clause 9 retains the same prohibition and the penalty of between five and 10 years' imprisonment.

The difference is that it now expressly lists activities that shall not be considered advocacy or promotion under the Act.

The eight exemptions added to Clause 9 are as follows:

1. The provision of legal advice or legal representation. A lawyer representing or advising a person accused of an offence under the Act will not be treated as an advocate for the prohibited conduct.
2. Submissions or representations made to a court, tribunal, Parliament, a commission of inquiry, or a body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions. A person who appears before such an institution and makes a submission will not be treated as having engaged in prohibited advocacy.
3. The publication of an academic, scientific or medical opinion. Such publications must meet the standards of peer-reviewed or formally published academic and scientific work.
4. The dissemination of information by a governmental body, non-governmental organisation, development partner or other body engaged in the delivery of health services or health-related programmes. The exemption covers health-related work such as tuberculosis outreach and early childhood disease programmes.
5. The provision of medical, surgical, psychological or counselling services in accordance with accepted professional practice. The sponsors say the phrase "accepted professional practice" refers to standards set by bodies such as the Ghana Medical Association and the Ghana Health Service. Procedures not recognised by those bodies are not covered.
6. The reporting of current affairs or news by a media house or journalist in the ordinary course of journalism.
7. The performance of public health functions, including HIV and AIDS prevention, testing, treatment and care.
8. Communication privilege under the Evidence Act. Conversations between a doctor and patient, a lawyer and client, or a pastor and congregant are protected as privileged communications under Ghana's Evidence Act. The exemption means the duty-to-report requirement in Clause 16 does not override those existing legal protections.

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In changes made to Clause 10, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga told Parliament that Clause 10, which deals with propaganda directed at children, was amended in the same manner as Clause 9.

According to him, the committee sought to provide greater clarity to the phrase "subject to the Constitution", which appeared in the earlier version of the legislation.

Sam George backs new anti-LGBTQ bill

YEN.com.gh reported that Sam George, the Communications Minister, refuted claims by the Minority in Parliament that amendments to the bill have weakened its intended impact.

According to the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, a key backer, the bill remains firm on its core objectives despite the changes.

Source: YEN.com.gh