Political scientist Professor Ransford Gyampo has defended the process behind Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill, passed by Parliament on Friday, May 29, 2026, rejecting claims that amendments were improperly inserted.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, commonly called the anti-LGBTQ bill, criminalises LGBTQ activities and now carries exemptions shielding lawyers, doctors, and journalists from certain sanctions. It awaits presidential assent.
Gyampo characterised the public criticism as a normal feature of democracy but cautioned against what he sees as distortion of the facts. He maintained that the passage reflected scrutiny by both sides in committee rather than partisan manipulation.
His remarks followed allegations that some provisions had been quietly added to the legislation. John Osae-Kwapong of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) noted the bill went through committee review by both caucuses, while adding that any clause inserted without lawmakers’ knowledge would raise procedural concerns.
Communications Minister Samuel George, a co-sponsor, dismissed the criticism as politically motivated, saying the professional protections had always existed in the bill and were spelt out only for clarity.
Rights organisations and several international bodies continue to oppose the legislation, arguing it threatens constitutional freedoms of expression, association, and privacy.
