Ghana's Parliament is set to reverse its third-reading approval of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill due to errors in penalty calculations. Majority Leader James Agalga disclosed this plan on Joy News' PM Express, citing miscalculated penalties that must be corrected before the bill can be sent to President Mahama. The errors could create serious problems for courts trying to apply the law once it takes effect.
In Ghana, fines set by law are often expressed in "penalty units" rather than fixed cedi amounts. However, Agalga stated that the bill's drafting failed to apply this consistently, leading to unaligned penal provisions. He stressed that the figures must match existing legislation before the bill can stand up in practice. If left uncorrected, the errors would cause "serious challenges when it comes to implementation."
To fix the problem, Parliament will rescind the approval it gave the bill at the third-reading stage, reopening the legislation for a fresh look at the punishment provisions. Agalga emphasized that the correction is technical rather than a rewrite of the bill's intent, and not much of substance would change once the penalty figures are put right. This process will ensure that the bill is implemented effectively and fairly.
This is not the first time the legislation has stalled on its way to becoming law. An earlier version passed by Parliament in February 2024 drew international condemnation and warnings that it could affect Ghana's development funding. However, it never made it into force as then-President Nana Akufo-Addo withheld his assent while it faced legal challenges in court, and it eventually lapsed.
A revived version of the bill resurfaced this year, and Parliament passed it again on 29 May 2026. However, the House went into recess in July without resolving disputes over the punishment provisions, leaving the bill in limbo. Speaker Alban Bagbin had warned that he would publicly name any MPs seen to be obstructing the bill's return to the floor.
Agalga ruled out speculation that President John Dramani Mahama had cooled on the legislation, stating that the President has not shifted his stance. He placed the responsibility for the hold-up squarely on Parliament itself, saying lawmakers were best placed to correct the anomalies they had identified before transmitting the bill to the President.
Agalga confirmed that the corrected bill would reach President Mahama's desk this month, and the process would be completed before Parliament rises for the current meeting. The bill's history of triggering disagreement has not been confined to the penalty calculations, with provisions on exemptions for journalists, lawyers, and health professionals also dividing MPs.
Key points
- Parliament will reverse its vote on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill due to errors in penalty calculations.
- The bill's penal provisions are not aligned with existing legislation.
- The corrected bill is expected to reach President Mahama's desk this month.
