President John Dramani Mahama has declared that the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, formally known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, is no longer active, as it expired with the previous Parliament's session.Speaking during a meeting with clergy, Mahama clarified the bill’s current status, explaining, “As far as I know, the bill did not get to the President for assent.

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And so the convention is that all bills that are not assented to before the expiration of the life of Parliament expired, and so that Bill is effectively dead, it has expired.”He underscored the importance of reinitiating discussions on the bill, suggesting a collaborative review process.

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“I do think that we should have a conversation on it again, so that all of us, if we decide to move that bill forward, moving forward with a consensus,” Mahama stated.Proposing a shift in the bill's sponsorship, the former president argued that it should no longer be introduced as a private member's bill but rather receive formal government backing.

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“I don't know what the promoters of the bill want to do, but we should have a conversation about it again… probably it shouldn't be a private members bill. It should be a government bill with government behind it after consultation with all the stakeholders to see how to move this forward,” he noted.

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Before his return to office, Mahama had already expressed a cautious approach toward the bill, emphasizing the need for a constitutional review. Speaking with BBC Africa on December 4, he elaborated: “It is not an anti-LGBTQI Bill; it is a Family Values Bill. It was approved unanimously by our Parliament.

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[LGBTQI] is against our African culture, it is against our religious faith, but I think we must look at the Bill, and the president must indicate what he finds wrong with that bill and send it back to Parliament or alternatively he must send it to the Council of State and get the Council of State’s advice.”When asked if he would sign the bill into law if elected, Mahama responded cautiously, stating, “It depends on what is in the Bill.

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” He emphasized that any decision would be based on a thorough examination of the bill’s content and legal compliance. “That is what I would have done,” he affirmed.The proposed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill seeks to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities, including the promotion and funding of related advocacy efforts.

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If reintroduced and passed, the bill would impose sanctions on individuals and organizations supporting LGBTQ+ causes.While proponents argue the bill is necessary to safeguard Ghanaian cultural and moral values from external influences, human rights advocates have raised concerns, stating it infringes on freedoms of expression, association, and equality under the law.

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The bill previously faced legal opposition from journalist Richard Dela Sky and academic Dr. Amanda Odoi, who contested its passage, citing a lack of parliamentary quorum. The Supreme Court, however, dismissed their challenge, with Justice Lovelace Johnson clarifying that a bill can only be subject to constitutional scrutiny after receiving presidential assent.

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Meanwhile, Ningo-Prampram MP Sam Nartey George has reaffirmed that Mahama would have no alternative but to approve the bill if elected president. “That is a misconception that has been put out. I listened to that interview. President Mahama has been clear that he will sign that bill and he has no option than to sign that bill,” George said in a recent media briefing.

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Tamale South MP Haruna Iddrisu has also announced plans to present personal recommendations on the bill to Mahama. While keeping the details of his suggestions private, he expressed optimism that his inputs would help shape the bill while aligning with the national interest and constitutional standards.

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“I have some ideas on the LGBTQ but I am yet to share them with the president as to how he can re-own the bill, get national consensus around it, and be consistent with the laws of Ghana and the constitution," Iddrisu stated at the National Muslim Prayer and Thanksgiving event on January 10, 2025.“There is a way to deal with it.

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Commenting here will mean that I am reducing it to a religious matter, but indeed it is a social problem of our country that collectively we have to deal with and solve,” he added.

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