President John Dramani Mahama has indicated that the recently passed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill is still some distance away from becoming law.
The legislation, he said, must undergo further legal and constitutional scrutiny before any decision on assent is taken.
Speaking at Chatham House in London on the first day of Pride Month, President Mahama explained that the bill, which Parliament passed on May 29, 2026, remains subject to a number of procedural and legal reviews.
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According to him, the bill was introduced as a private member’s bill rather than a government-sponsored legislation, requiring careful examination by legal advisers within the Presidency and the Attorney-General before it reaches the final stage of presidential assent.
“Once the president gets it, you go through it because you’re not part of the discussion in Parliament,” Mr Mahama stated, adding that legal counsel at the Presidency and the Attorney-General would review the legislation to ensure all constitutional and procedural requirements had been met.
The President disclosed that concerns had already been raised regarding the manner in which the bill was passed, including allegations of insufficient quorum and procedural irregularities during parliamentary proceedings.
His remarks come shortly after Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin revealed that he was surprised by the passage of the bill, explaining that he had expected lawmakers to begin consideration of the legislation only after his return from official duties.
Following the Speaker’s concerns, parliamentary leadership has been summoned to an emergency meeting to clarify the circumstances surrounding the bill’s passage.
President Mahama acknowledged the development, noting that he had received information that the Speaker was preparing a statement to address the reported procedural lapses.
“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 said.
The President further explained that if substantial concerns emerge during the review process, he has the constitutional authority to refer the bill to the Council of State for advice or return it to Parliament with recommendations for reconsideration.
“If there are issues, substantial issues that are raised, the president would return the bill to Parliament, indicating exactly what the issues are,” he stated.
Mr Mahama, therefore, maintained that “there’s still quite a while to go before that bill becomes law.”
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill seeks to criminalise same-sex relationships and activities considered to promote LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana.
The legislation has generated intense public debate, with critics questioning both its substance and the process leading to its passage.