President John Dramani Mahama has signalled that Ghana’s recently passed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, is still far from being enacted into law, citing a wave of procedural and constitutional challenges.
Speaking on Monday during a question-and-answer session at the Chatham House international affairs think-tank in London, President Mahama emphasised that the controversial legislation faces significant legal scrutiny before any decision regarding presidential assent can be made.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill has probably been the bill that has evoked the most interest in Ghana, Mahama noted, acknowledging the intense public debate surrounding the legislation.
He added that it shows exactly how important issues of family values are to ordinary citizens.
Procedural Clouds Hang Over Parliament’s Vote
Despite the bill’s recent passage in Parliament following a series of amendments, its legislative legitimacy is already being questioned.
President Mahama revealed that multiple procedural lapses have been brought to light, which could potentially stall or invalidate the current text.
Chief among these concerns are questions over whether a legal quorum—the minimum number of lawmakers required to conduct official business—was actually present in the chamber when the final vote was cast.
Furthermore, internal complaints suggest that standard parliamentary protocols were bypassed or rushed during the final amendment stage.
Mahama indicated that the Speaker of Parliament is actively investigating these internal grievances.
Once the legislature resolves these discrepancies and formally transmits the final draft to the Jubilee House, it will undergo a rigorous constitutional and legal review by the executive branch.
Speaker Summons Leadership Amid Surprise Passage
The President’s cautious stance mirrors growing friction within Parliament itself.
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has reportedly summoned the House leadership to a crisis meeting over how the bill was pushed through.
Expressing surprise at the sudden manner of its passage last Friday, Speaker Bagbin insisted that a broader national consensus must be built around the legislation to ensure wide public acceptance and to prevent long-term legal gridlock.
The bill, which seeks to criminalise LGBTQ+ advocacy and relationships, has drawn intense international scrutiny and domestic debate, balancing deeply held traditional values against constitutional human rights obligations.
With both executive reviews and parliamentary disputes pending, the path forward for the bill remains highly uncertain.