Ghana parliament passes bill criminalising gay acts
Ghana’s parliament has passed a bill that criminalises gay acts and some LGBTQ+ support, with prison terms of up to three years.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
The bill would punish identifying as LGBTQ+ or acting as an “ally”, and it adds a duty to report prohibited acts. It still needs President John Dramani Mahama’s approval before becoming law.
Ghana’s lawmakers have approved a new rule that would punish gay people and even people who support them. It is not fully in effect yet because the president still has to agree.
Think of it like a school saying not only are some actions banned, but even telling the teacher about them can become a problem. Human rights groups say that can make people scared to be open or ask for help.
This matters because it could change how safe LGBTQ+ people feel in Ghana, and it is part of a bigger wave of tougher laws in some African countries.
Analysis
What the bill does
Ghana’s parliament has approved legislation that would criminalise homosexuality and the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities. Under the bill, identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer could carry a prison sentence of up to three years. The text also creates a “duty to report” prohibited acts to police, widening the reach of enforcement beyond the people directly targeted.
The bill goes further than banning same-sex relationships. According to the article, someone who identifies as an “ally” of LGBTQ+ people could also face prison time. It also includes exemptions for legal, media and healthcare professionals when they report on LGBTQ+ issues or provide medical treatment and other services.
Political context
The sponsor, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, said the measure is meant to protect Ghanaian family and cultural values and to make existing laws more robust and strict. But the bill is not law yet. President John Dramani Mahama still needs to ratify it, and religious leaders have been pressing him to strengthen anti-gay laws since he took office last year.
This is not the first time Ghana’s lawmakers have pushed in this direction. A similar bill passed in 2024, but it did not become law after former president Akufo-Addo did not sign it amid legal challenges.
Reaction and wider significance
Human Rights Watch criticised the bill sharply, saying it puts LGBTQ+ people’s lives at risk and encourages citizens to watch and denounce one another. The group had urged parliament to abandon the proposal in a submission to the committee reviewing it.
The story also fits a broader pattern across Africa, where several countries have tightened anti-LGBTQ+ laws. The article points to Senegal’s new legislation and Uganda’s harsh 2023 law as examples of that trend.
Key points
- Ghana’s parliament passed a bill criminalising homosexuality and some LGBTQ+ support.
- The bill allows up to three years in prison for identifying as LGBTQ+ and includes a duty to report prohibited acts.
- President John Dramani Mahama still needs to ratify the legislation.
- Human Rights Watch said the bill could put LGBTQ+ lives at risk and encourage people to denounce one another.
- Ghana passed a similar bill in 2024, but it never became law.
