Ghana’s Supreme Court postponed its decision on a petition to halt parliament from forwarding a controversial anti-LGBTQ bill to President Nana Akufo-Addo for final approval. This delay means that the bill, which has sparked intense debate in Ghana since its passage in February, will not be a focal point in the lead-up to December’s presidential election.
Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, leading the five-member Supreme Court panel, announced that while the court will expedite the case, it has been adjourned indefinitely without a set date for further proceedings.
Ghana’s Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, expressed satisfaction with the court’s approach, stating to the media, “I think the court is fair in coming by that approach.”
The bill, officially titled the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill”, has faced legal challenges from two separate lawsuits. Broadcaster Richard Dela Sky argues that the bill violates multiple provisions of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution. Amanda Odoi, the other plaintiff, seeks an injunction to prevent the parliament speaker, attorney-general, and parliament clerk from sending the bill to President Akufo-Addo.
The legislation proposes prison terms ranging from six months to three years for engaging in LGBTQ activities and sentences of three to five years for promoting or funding LGBTQ causes. While criticized by human rights advocates internationally, the bill enjoys substantial backing in Ghana from a coalition of Christian, Muslim, and traditional leaders.
The bill’s potential economic impact has also raised concerns, with Ghana’s finance ministry cautioning that the country could forfeit around $3.8 billion in World Bank financing. This warning comes as Ghana emerges from a severe economic downturn and operates under a $3 billion loan program from the International Monetary Fund.
President Akufo-Addo, nearing the end of his two-term presidency, has refrained from endorsing the bill due to ongoing legal challenges. His ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) faces stiff competition from the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming presidential election.
Despite international condemnation from entities such as the United Nations, the United States, and the British government, the bill continues to garner strong support among Ghanaian lawmakers and influential societal groups.
