Ghana’s Parliament on Friday approved a controversial bill seeking to criminalise the promotion, funding and sponsorship of LGBTQ-related activities in the country.
The legislation, titled the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, was passed through a voice vote after the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee unanimously recommended its adoption.
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, announced the approval during plenary.
The bill, first introduced shortly after President John Dramani Mahama assumed office, has continued to attract strong support from religious groups and conservative organisations across the country.
The newly approved legislation retains the existing penalty of up to three years imprisonment for same-sex relations.
It also introduces prison terms ranging from three to five years for persons found guilty of funding, sponsoring or promoting LGBTQ-related activities.
Under the bill, citizens are further required to report prohibited LGBTQ-related acts to law enforcement authorities, with failure to do so attracting penalties of up to three years imprisonment.
The legislation also seeks amendments to Ghana’s Extradition Act of 1960, making offences under the proposed law extraditable.
The development follows an earlier version of the bill passed by Parliament in 2024 during the administration of former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
However, the previous bill was not signed into law after facing legal challenges before the courts.
President Mahama is now expected to decide whether to assent to the new legislation amid growing local support and international scrutiny over human rights concerns.
Supporters of the bill argue that it reflects Ghanaian cultural and family values, while critics and rights groups have warned that the legislation could undermine civil liberties and increase discrimination against LGBTQ persons in the country.
