Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill far from becoming law, set to undergo legal review – Mahama

Nii Ayitey Brown 05:29 - 02 June 2026

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Delivering a keynote address at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva on Monday, May 18, President Mahama lamented the broader consequences of the cuts on global healthcare systems.

President John Mahama says Ghana’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill still faces legal and procedural scrutiny before it can become law, citing quorum concerns and possible legislative lapses.

President Mahama says the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill is still far from becoming law due to unresolved quorum and procedural concerns.
The President says the Attorney-General and legal advisers will review the bill before any decision on assent is made.
Mahama says he could refer the legislation to the Council of State or return it to Parliament if substantial issues are identified.

President John Dramani Mahama has indicated that the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, remains far from becoming law despite its recent passage in Parliament, citing unresolved procedural and constitutional concerns.

Speaking during a question-and-answer session at Chatham House in the United Kingdom on Monday, June 1, President Mahama said questions surrounding quorum and alleged procedural lapses during the bill’s passage would have to be addressed before any decision on presidential assent is taken.

“Parliament has been considering it and it was supposed to have been passed last week. There have been a few issues raised. One, that there wasn't a quorum when it was passed. That's an issue that has come up”, Mr Mahama said.

He added that concerns had also emerged regarding the legislative process used in approving the bill.

“And then two, there were some procedural lapses in terms of its passage. I just got some communication that the speaker was reading a statement to address the issue of the lapses in the passage of the bill,” he stated.

The President explained that the bill would undergo further legal scrutiny once it reaches the Presidency because it originated as a private members’ bill rather than government-sponsored legislation.

“It must come for assent. And so once the president gets it, you go through it because you are not part of the discussion in parliament,” he said.

And so the legal representative, the legal counsel in the presidency and the attorney general would sit on it because it was a private member's motion. This was not a government bill.

Mr Mahama stressed that legal advisers would review the legislation thoroughly before any recommendation is made regarding presidential approval.

“And so we'll look at it and make sure that everything is in order before the president is advised to assent,” he said.

The President further outlined the constitutional options available to him should concerns remain after the review process.

“The president has another option if there are some things that he thinks are a problem. He can refer to the Council of State for advice. The Council of State is an advisory body to the president,” he explained.

And if there are issues, substantial issues that are raised, the president would return the bill to parliament indicating exactly what the issues are.

He concluded by indicating that several processes still lie ahead before the legislation can take effect.

There's still quite a while to go before that bill becomes law.

Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, on May 29 following extensive debate and amendments.

The legislation retains criminal penalties for same-sex sexual relations and introduces additional sanctions against the promotion, sponsorship and advocacy of LGBTQ+ activities.

Speaking during a Q&A session at Chatham House in the UK on Monday, June 1, President John Dramani Mahama said the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill remains far from becoming law due to unresolved procedural and legal issues, including quorum concerns.

He said the bill will be reviewed by the… pic.twitter.com/9BgOigYfOt
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