Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has instructed the Business Committee to schedule the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 — commonly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQ Bill — for consideration by the House.
The directive follows the Speaker’s determination that the bill meets 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 announced on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, February 10.
He explained that Standing Order 187(2) obliges the Speaker to communicate to the House 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 stated.
The Speaker recalled that the legislation was first introduced in August 2021 as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021, and was passed by the Eighth Parliament on February 28, 2024. However, it did not receive presidential assent and consequently lapsed with 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.
Following the inauguration of the Ninth Parliament, Speaker Bagbin referred the bill to the Office of the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice on January 28, 2025, for review. The Attorney-General’s Office submitted its observations on April 7, 2025, which were forwarded to the bill’s sponsors.
Nine Members of Parliament subsequently expressed their intention to reintroduce the legislation. “By correspondence dated 25th February 2025, the following members indicated their desire to reintroduce the bill,” he said, listing 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 accordance 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 reviewed by the Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Private Members’ Motions, which unanimously advised 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,” he said.
“It also does not impose taxation or a charge on the Consolidated Fund or any other public funds of Ghana.”
After reviewing the committee’s report, the Speaker concluded that the bill fully complies with 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 told the Hous
