Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Bagbin has directed the Business Committee to schedule the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, widely known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill for consideration by the House.
The Speaker made the announcement on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, February 10, after determining that the bill satisfies all constitutional and procedural requirements for reintroduction under Parliament’s Standing Orders.
“I therefore direct that the bill be scheduled by the Business Committee to be presented to the House for consideration,” Speaker Bagbin stated.
He explained that Standing Order 187(2) requires the Speaker to inform the House of his opinion on whether a private member’s bill complies with Article 108 of the 1992 Constitution.
“On the introduction of a private member’s bill, the Speaker shall communicate to the House an opinion on whether the bill complies with Article 108 of the Constitution,” he added.
The Speaker recalled that the legislation was originally introduced in August 2021 as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021. It was passed by the Eighth Parliament on February 28, 2024, but did not receive presidential assent and lapsed following the dissolution of that Parliament.
“It was, however, not assented to by the President and therefore lapsed upon the dissolution of the Eighth Parliament,” he noted.
Upon the inauguration of the Ninth Parliament, Speaker Bagbin referred the bill to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice on January 28, 2025, for review. The Attorney-General’s Office provided its observations on April 7, 2025, which were subsequently forwarded to the bill’s sponsors.
Nine Members of Parliament later expressed their intention to reintroduce the legislation. In a correspondence dated February 25, 2025, the following MPs indicated their desire to reintroduce the bill: Sam Nartey George, Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzrah, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, Helen Ntoso, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, and Anthony Mmieh.
In line with Standing Order 182, a legal opinion dated March 7, 2025, and a fiscal impact analysis under Section 101(1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), were submitted to the Speaker.
The bill was then reviewed by the Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Private Members’ Motions, which unanimously recommended that it could be introduced in the House.
“The committee observed that the bill maintains its underlying principles and core objectives and does not contravene any constitutional provision, particularly Articles 106 and 108 of the Constitution,” the Speaker told the House.
“It also does not impose taxation or a charge on the Consolidated Fund or any other public funds of Ghana.”
Following his review of the committee’s report, Speaker Bagbin concluded that the bill complies fully with both the Constitution and Parliamentary Standing Orders.
“I have reviewed the report of the committee and formed the opinion that the bill does not impose or alter taxation or a charge on the Consolidated Fund in the manner stipulated under Article 108 of the Constitution,” he declared.