The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called for a consensus on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, passed by parliament last week.
According to Alban Bagbin, the anti-LGBTQ+ bill is critical, and it must be passed with consensus.
He disclosed that he has invited leadership from both sides of Parliament for a meeting.
Speaker Bagbin also expressed surprise following the passage of the bill, revealing that his instruction was for the consideration of the bill and not the passage.
Speaking in a video, Alban Bagbin stated, “It was even a surprise to me because I thought we were going to start consideration of the bill. This is such a critical bill which must be passed with consensus. I have asked the leaders of both sides to meet me”.
Also, President John Dramani Mahama has said that despite the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, a few issued has been raised.
According to John Mahama, the passage of the anti-LGBTQI Bill by Parliament won’t be a law yet, as a few procedural hurdles that must be resolved before it reaches his desk for assent.
Speaking during a Chatham House interview on Monday, June 1, as part of his trip to the United Kingdom, President Mahama stated, “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. 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. And so, like I said, when I was the opposition leader, the President had a number of options in this matter. 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. 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.
“And so, we’ll look at it and make sure that everything is in order before the President is advised to assent”.
He added, “The President has another option if there are some things that he thinks are a problem. He can refer it to the Council of State for advice.
The Council of State is an advisory body to the President. And so, they’ll take a look at it and then they’ll advise the President. And if there are issues — substantial issues that are raised — the President would return the Bill to Parliament, indicating exactly what the issues are.
And so, there’s still quite a while to go before that Bill becomes law”.
Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the government and the ruling National Democratic Congress of weakening the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ Bill.
According to the Minority Caucus in Parliament, the anti-LGBTQ Bill has been weakened through extensive amendments before its passage by Parliament last week.
Speaking at a media briefing in Parliament, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the member of Parliament for Assin South, questioned why the NDC, which previously urged former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to assent to the bill, has now significantly altered it under President Mahama.
Watch the video below:
I was surprised to hear that the LGBTQ bill has been passed – Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament #AdomNews pic.twitter.com/wkxrE9Nz4b
— Adom TV (@adom_tv) June 1, 2026
