Ghana approves bill that would jail people for LGBTQ+ identity
Religious leaders have reportedly been pressuring president John Dramani Mahama to strengthen anti-LGBTQ+ laws since he returned to office last year
By Callum Wells
Ghana‘s parliament has approved a controversial new bill that would criminalise identifying as LGBTQ+ and impose prison sentences on supporters of the community.
Under the legislation, people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer could face up to three years’ imprisonment. The bill also introduces a “duty to report”, requiring citizens to inform police of prohibited acts.
The legislation still requires the approval of Ghanaian president John Dramani Mahama before it can become law. Religious leaders have reportedly been pressuring Mahama to strengthen anti-LGBTQ+ laws since he returned to office last year.
Reverend John Ntim Fordjour argued the legislation would protect Ghanaian family and cultural values
The bill has drawn strong criticism from international human rights organisations. Human Rights Watch warned that it would put LGBTQ+ people’s lives at risk while also “encouraging citizens to surveil and denounce one another”.
Same-sex relationships are already illegal in Ghana under laws dating back to the British colonial era.
Speaking in parliament, the bill’s sponsor, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, argued that the legislation would protect Ghanaian family and cultural values. He said the new restrictions would make existing laws “more robust, more encompassing and more stringent in dealing with the practices of LGBTQI”.
The legislation would also criminalise people who identify as LGBTQ+ allies, potentially exposing supporters of the community to prison sentences.
Human Rights Watch formally urged lawmakers to abandon the bill
However, exemptions have been included for legal, media and healthcare professionals who report on LGBTQ+ issues or provide medical treatment and other services to gay people.
Human Rights Watch formally urged lawmakers to abandon the bill in a submission to the constitutional and legal affairs committee overseeing the legislation in the capital, Accra.
A similar bill was passed in Ghana in 2024 but never became law after former President Nana Akufo-Addo declined to sign it amid ongoing legal challenges.
Mahama has previously indicated his support for the legislation. Shortly after taking office, he said: “I believe in the principles and values that only two genders exist – man and woman – and that marriage is between a man and a woman.”
Which other African nations have introduced tougher restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights?
Ghana is one of several African nations to have introduced tougher restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights in recent years.
In March, Senegal’s parliament approved similar legislation prescribing prison sentences of up to 10 years for same-sex sexual activity and criminalising the “promotion” of homosexuality.
Meanwhile, Uganda introduced the death penalty for some same-sex acts in 2023.