A group of 10 Ghanaian Members of Parliament have reintroduced a controversial anti-LGBT bill, aiming to impose some of Africa’s harshest restrictions on LGBT rights. The bill proposes a three-year jail term for individuals identifying as gay and sentences ranging from five to ten years for those promoting or advocating for LGBT rights.
The legislation had initially been passed by Ghana’s parliament in 2023 but was not signed into law by former President Akufo-Addo, who cited legal challenges. With the dissolution of the previous parliament, the bill expired, prompting its resubmission by conservative lawmakers. The fate of the bill now depends on the new parliamentary speaker’s decision on whether to admit it for consideration.
Ghana, a socially conservative West African nation, already criminalizes gay sex with penalties of up to three years in prison. Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to protect what they view as Ghanaian cultural values and traditional family structures. However, human rights groups have strongly opposed the legislation, branding it as draconian and inconsistent with Ghana’s commitment to human rights.
Human Rights Watch researcher Larissa Kojoué has criticized the bill, stating that it undermines Ghana’s historical reputation for peace, tolerance, and hospitality. “Such a law would not only further erode the rule of law in Ghana but could also lead to increased violence against LGBT individuals and their allies,” she warned.
Prominent Ghanaian trans woman and LGBT activist Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi described the bill’s reintroduction as “disheartening and hard to process,” but emphasized that the fight for LGBT rights would continue despite the challenges.
Beyond human rights concerns, the bill could have severe economic consequences for Ghana. The country’s former finance minister previously cautioned that enacting the law could jeopardize up to $3.8 billion in World Bank development funding and impact Ghana’s ongoing $3 billion IMF support program. Such economic risks have been a point of contention among policymakers.
Opposition lawmaker John Ntim Fordjour, however, downplayed fears of economic sanctions, citing the global shift toward conservative values, particularly in light of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies.
Initially introduced in 2021, the bill has faced repeated delays, but its revival underscores ongoing tensions between conservative and progressive forces in Ghana’s sociopolitical landscape. The debate over LGBT rights in Ghana is far from over, with significant domestic and international scrutiny likely to continue.
