The Ghanaian Parliament has passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025.
The bill, known locally as anti-LGBTQ+ bill, was passed after the third reading on the floor of the Parliament on Friday.
According to local media reports, the lawmakers amended the bill, exempting some professionals from infringement under the law.
The reports stated that the exemptions cover legal practitioners, media professionals and health workers who provide services to persons identified as LGBTQ.
The reports added that during the proceedings in Parliament, which was chaired by the First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, announced that the bill had been duly read for the third time and thereby passed.
According to some lawmakers, the bill, which had generated public debate both within Ghana and internationally, is intended to promote Ghanaian family values and cultural norms.
It will be recalled that the 8th Parliament unanimously passed the Bill on February 28, 2024 and forwarded it to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for presidential assent.
But the bill did not receive the needed presidential assent until it expired on January 6, 2025 at the end of the tenure of President Akufo-Addo and that of the 8th Parliament.
The bill is expected to go through necessary constitutional processes before it is signed into law by the President.
GIK/APA