Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has distanced himself from the post-passage processes of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, insisting that his responsibility ended once Parliament approved the legislation and that decisions regarding its transmission for presidential assent fall outside his remit.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Tuesday, June 2, he maintained that the bill, which contains about 19 clauses, had already undergone extensive consideration in previous sittings, arguing that much of the content had previously been agreed upon by both sides of the House.
He stated that areas of disagreement were limited and had largely been resolved through committee deliberations, including discussions on clauses relating to professional and institutional freedoms.
“We worked with our colleagues on the entire bill from clause one to clause nine. There was no issue. Even where concerns were raised, the committee made recommendations, and we engaged and agreed on several of them,” he said.
The Majority Leader further questioned the need for additional reconsideration of the bill, insisting that Parliament had already reached consensus on its key provisions after lengthy negotiations.
According to him, the passage of the bill reflects a completed legislative process, regardless of subsequent administrative or procedural concerns raised by other stakeholders.
“We have kept this bill in this House for one and a half years, and now we are being asked to bring it back again and consider what exactly? I don’t know specifically what provisions need reconsideration. I have done my job. I have moved for the bill to be passed. As for whether it will be transmitted for assent or not, that is their business,” he said.
His comments come amid ongoing debate over the future of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, following directives from the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for further engagement on the legislative process after concerns were raised about its final passage.
President John Dramani Mahama has also indicated that the bill still requires further review before any decision is taken on assent, citing procedural and constitutional considerations.
The Speaker, on his part, has called for renewed consultations with both the Majority and Minority leadership, after expressing surprise that the bill had progressed beyond the consideration stage to final passage on May 29, contrary to his expectation that deliberations were still ongoing.
