The Minority in Parliament has rejected proposed amendments to Clause 9 of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, insisting the changes could weaken the intent of the controversial legislation widely known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.
The proposed amendment seeks to exempt certain professional and routine activities from being interpreted as promoting LGBTQ practices. Under the changes, lawyers offering legal representation or advice to persons identified as LGBT would not face sanctions under the law.
The amendment also seeks to protect journalists and media organisations reporting on LGBTQ-related issues in the course of their professional duties, as well as health professionals and counsellors providing medical, psychological or therapeutic services to such individuals.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday, May 29, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga explained that the revisions are intended to narrowly define situations that should not be criminalised under the bill.
“The Media raised strong issues because they think that we are violating the right to free expression. Professionals such as lawyers raised strong issues that we are violating their professional freedom, and violating the rights of people to legal services. So what the committee is trying to do is to narrowly set out those exceptions where, when you speak, you will not be considered as promoting or supporting LGBT,” he stated.
However, the proposed changes triggered strong opposition from some sponsors of the bill, including Assin South MP Reverend John Ntim Fordjour and Bosome-Freho MP Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh.
The lawmakers argued that introducing such exemptions undermines the original intent of the legislation and raises questions about the effectiveness of the version previously submitted for presidential assent by former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour maintained that individuals and institutions operating behind the scenes to support LGBTQ activities should not be exempted from sanctions under the bill.
“These are the people sponsoring, supporting, pro- making sponsoring, making these activities rather attractive behind the scenes and even sometimes overtly. And so if I find it highly problematic, any attempt by this house to push any of these exceptions in, we will resist it. And if the house will use their majority numbers to push it through, I, as a sponsor, will advise myself accordingly,” he said.
The disagreement highlights growing divisions in Parliament over the scope and implementation of the proposed legislation, which continues to generate intense debate both locally and internationally.
