Ghana’s President Vows Review of Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation Prior to Enactment

Ghana’s President John Mahama has announced that the newly passed legislation criminalizing LGBTQ+ activities will undergo a thorough review before receiving official approval. Speaking during a recent visit to the United Kingdom, Mahama clarified that because the measure originated as a private member’s motion rather than a government-sponsored bill, it requires careful examination by his legal team and the Attorney General.

The bill, which secured parliamentary passage on Friday, imposes penalties of up to three years in prison for individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. It also mandates a "duty to report" such prohibited acts to the police.

“We will look at it and make sure that everything is in order,” Mahama stated during a question-and-answer session in London on Monday. He added that the proposal would be referred to the Council of State, his advisory body, if any issues were identified during the review process. Mahama also acknowledged procedural irregularities in the bill’s passage, noting that the Speaker of Parliament is currently addressing these concerns.

Since assuming office last year, Mahama has faced significant pressure from religious leaders to reinforce anti-gay statutes, which currently prohibit same-sex relationships under laws inherited from the British colonial era. This marks the second time MPs have backed such legislation. An earlier version was introduced in August 2021, following the closure of an LGBTQ+ resource center in the capital, Accra.

However, Mahama’s predecessor, former President Nana Akufo-Addo, withheld assent to that initial draft before leaving office. The 2024 iteration faced multiple Supreme Court challenges, a factor Akufo-Addo cited as justification for not signing it. The current bill was reintroduced this year by a cross-party group of MPs.

Criticism has emerged from within parliament as well. Members of Ghana’s minority party argued that the 2024 version was stronger, claiming that recent amendments have diluted the law’s impact. John Ntim Forjour, a spokesperson for the minority, stated, “The bill appears, and not only appears, substantially has lost the force and the bite and the thrust, the deterrence, the efficacy that it contained and carried in 2024.”

Differences between the two versions include exemptions for the current bill: legal, healthcare, and media professionals who provide medical services to gay individuals or report on LGBTQ+ issues are exempt from punishment. In contrast, individuals identifying as "allies" to the LGBTQ+ community could still face imprisonment.

Human rights organizations have condemned both iterations of the legislation for violating the rights of sexual minorities. In a formal submission to the constitutional and legal affairs committee in Accra, Human Rights Watch recommended the bill be scrapped. Conversely, proponents argue the legislation is necessary to uphold Ghanaian family values.

This legislative trend reflects a broader regional shift, with several African nations tightening restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights in recent years. In March, Senegal’s parliament approved similar laws prescribing up to 10 years in prison for same-sex sexual acts and criminalizing the "promotion" of homosexuality. Earlier, in 2023, Uganda enacted laws imposing the death penalty for certain same-sex offenses.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-02 11:59:30 UTC