The Minority in Parliament has demanded a return to the original version of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, insisting that the current amendments have weakened its intended force and betrayed public expectations.
The caucus has described the revised legislation as “dangerous dilutions,” arguing that Parliament should restore the earlier version passed in 2024.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, June 1, MP for Assin South and sponsor of the bill, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, said the amendments introduced into the bill strip it of what he described as its “deterrent effect,” insisting that the original legislation had stronger punitive weight and clarity of intent.
According to him, the current form of the bill has been significantly weakened and no longer reflects the version agreed upon in the previous Parliament. He maintained that the caucus is pushing for the restoration of the earlier draft, which he said carried stronger enforcement provisions.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour argued that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) had previously supported the passage of the bill in its original form and had publicly committed to signing it without extensive alterations.
He, however, claimed that the current revisions amount to a reversal of that position, accusing the government of undermining public trust in the process.
“These are dangerous dilutions we should not allow to go like that. We want the old bill to come. The old bill is what has the teeth; the deterrence and the teeth to bite,” he said.
Parliament on Friday, May 29 passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 with several amendments, sparking renewed political disagreement over its scope and enforcement provisions.
Under the revised version, legal practitioners offering advice or representation to persons identified as LGBTQ+ are exempt from sanctions. Journalists and media organisations reporting on LGBTQ+ issues in the course of their work are also protected.
Medical professionals, including those providing surgical, psychological, and counselling services, are likewise exempted from punishment under the amended bill.
The Minority maintains that these and other revisions significantly alter the intent of the original legislation, and is calling for its reinstatement in full.
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