Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has revealed that he was surprised by the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, by Parliament on May 29 while he was absent from the House.
Speaking on the development, Bagbin said he had expected Parliament to begin consideration of the bill rather than proceed with its passage during the sitting presided over by First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor.
“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,” he stated.
In response to concerns surrounding the process that led to the bill’s approval, the Speaker has summoned both the Majority and Minority leaders for consultations.
The development comes after President John Dramani Mahama disclosed that questions had been raised regarding quorum and procedural compliance during the passage of the legislation.
Speaking during a Chatham House interview in the United Kingdom on Monday, June 1, President Mahama said reports reaching him indicated that Parliament may not have met the required quorum when the bill was passed.
“The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill has probably evoked the most interest in Ghana. It shows how important issues of family values are,” he said.
The President explained that concerns have been raised over whether enough lawmakers were present during the vote and whether all parliamentary procedures were properly followed.
“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,” he noted.
According to President Mahama, he had received information that Speaker Bagbin was already addressing the concerns through an official statement.
The President stressed that once the bill is transmitted to him for assent, it will undergo legal scrutiny by the Attorney General and legal advisers at the Presidency, particularly because it is a private member’s bill and not government-sponsored legislation.
He further explained that the Constitution provides several options to the President, including referring the bill to the Council of State for advice before taking a final decision.
“If there are issues, substantial issues that are raised, the President would return the bill to Parliament indicating exactly what the issues are,” Mahama stated.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill remains one of the most debated pieces of legislation in Ghana, attracting significant public interest both locally and internationally. As concerns over its passage continue to emerge, attention is now focused on Parliament’s next steps and the legal processes that will determine the bill’s future.
