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The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has approved the reintroduction of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, for consideration by the House.
He said the decision was taken based on the unanimous advice he received from the Committees on the Private Members’ Bill and the Private Members’ Motion, which recommended that the bill be reintroduced.
Mr Bagbin explained that the bill had gone through all the required processes for enactment in line with the Standing Orders of Parliament and, consequently, directed the Business Committee to schedule it for presentation to the House.
In a communication to the House at the commencement of business, the Speaker said, “The bill does not contain any provision that seeks to impose taxation or charge on the Consolidated Fund or other public funds of Ghana or impose payment issue or withdrawal from the consolidated fund.
“I have reviewed the report of the committee and formed the opinion that the bill does not impose or alter taxation or a charge on the Consolidated Fund in the manner stipulated in Act 108 of the Constitution,” he said.
Mr Bagbin said Order 187 (2) of the Standing Orders requires the Speaker, upon the introduction of a private member’s bill, to communicate to the House an opinion on whether the bill complies with Article 108 of the Constitution.
He recalled that the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 was initially introduced as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021 in August 2021 and went through all enactment processes before being passed by the Eighth Parliament on February 28, 2024.
However, he said the bill was not assented to by the President and therefore lapsed upon the dissolution of the Eighth Parliament.
Following the inauguration of the Ninth Parliament, Mr Bagbin said that by correspondence dated January 8, 2025, he referred the bill to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice for review and comments.
He said the Attorney-General’s office submitted its comments by a letter dated April 7, last year, which were subsequently referred to the sponsors of the bill for consideration.
By correspondence dated February 5, 2025, the Speaker said the sponsors of the bill, comprising both old and new members, expressed their intention to reintroduce it. He named the sponsors as Samuel Nartey George, Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzrah, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, Helen Ntoso, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Alhassan Tampouli Suleimana, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Mahama Tia Abdul Kabiru and Anthony Mmieh.
As required under Standing Order 182, Mr Bagbin said a legal opinion dated March 7, last year, was submitted to him on the proposed bill.
“I directed the draft person to process the request in accordance with the rules for introduction in the House,” he said.
Additionally, he said that in compliance with Section 101 (1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), a fiscal impact analysis report on the proposed bill was duly submitted.
He said he subsequently directed that the drafting be redone and the bill transmitted pursuant to Order 186.
“Then, I directed the committee on private members' bill and private members' motion to consider again and advise on whether the bill complies with the relevant constitutional provisions,” he said.
According to the Speaker, the committee observed that the reintroduced bill maintained its underlying principles and core objectives and did not contravene any constitutional provision, particularly Articles 106 and 108 of the Constitution.
He added that the committee also observed that the bill did not contain any provision that sought to impose taxation or charge on the Consolidated Fund or other public funds of Ghana, or impose a payment issue or withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund.
“The committee, by a unanimous decision, advised that the bill be introduced in the House.
“I have reviewed the report of the committee and formed the opinion that the bill does not impose or alter taxation or a charge on the Consolidated Fund in the manner stipulated in Act 108 of the Constitution,” he said.
