Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has defended Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision to call for a reconsideration of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 (anti-LGBTQ bill), saying the focus should be on passing a law that can withstand legal challenges and be effectively implemented.
Speaking on the Channel One Newsroom on Tuesday, June 2, the Assin South MP, who is a key proponent of the bill, argued that the concerns raised by the Speaker should be taken seriously, especially given the potential legal vulnerabilities in the legislation.
He stressed that Parliament must aim to produce a robust and enforceable law rather than rushing through a flawed bill that could later be struck down by the courts.
“If anyone disagrees with the Speaker, then that person does not really want any bill to be passed. If the bill remains in a problematic state, then somebody can legally challenge it and knock it off completely, and then we will have no law passed,” he said.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour warned that passing a law that is not fit for purpose could ultimately do more harm than good.
“Or the bill you know is not fit for purpose and many calls have come, you will ignore them, pass it and cannot implement it because if you do, you make the situation worse than it was before,” he added.
He urged Parliament’s leadership to address the identified concerns so that the final legislation effectively deals with what proponents describe as the challenges posed by LGBTQ activities in Ghana.
“We must be frank to the Majority Leader that Ghanaians are not looking for just any bill. No. We are looking for a bill that is fit for purpose and cures the mischief in the LGBT cancer in this country,” he stated.
His comments follow Speaker Bagbin’s directive for further engagement on the bill after raising concerns about the process that led to its passage on May 29. The Speaker had expressed surprise that the bill had been fully passed, stating he had expected only the consideration stage to begin that day.
The bill was passed after Parliament adopted several amendments, including exemptions for lawyers, journalists, media organisations, and healthcare professionals acting in their professional capacity.
Despite objections from some Minority MPs, the legislation has now moved to the next constitutional stage.
Editor:
Obiri-Yeboah
