Exemptions have rendered anti-LGBTQ+ bill toothless – Ntim Fordjour

Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, says Ghana’s newly passed anti-LGBTQ+ bill has lost its effectiveness due to major exemptions.

The legislator argued that amendments introduced into the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025 have weakened provisions aimed at addressing the promotion of homosexuality.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, May 29, Ntim Fordjour questioned the practicality of the revised legislation after Parliament approved the bill.

“The law, in its current form, lacks the strength many expected. It appears more cosmetic than impactful,” he stated.

He criticised exemptions granted to lawyers representing LGBTQ+ persons, journalists and media organisations covering related issues, and healthcare professionals providing treatment or counselling.

“If those directly involved in legal, medical, and communication aspects are exempted, then one must ask who exactly the law is intended to affect,” he argued.

Ntim Fordjour stressed that the revised provisions undermine the very concerns that motivated supporters of the legislation, particularly restrictions tied to the promotion of homosexuality.

“Section 9 was supposed to address concerns around promotion, but the exemptions make the law difficult to enforce in any meaningful way,” he said.

Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025 on Friday, May 29, following extensive debate and amendments that triggered disagreement among lawmakers.

The Minority Caucus opposed the revisions, insisting they expose weaknesses in the earlier version that had been forwarded to former President Nana Akufo-Addo for consideration.

The latest developments are expected to fuel further public debate over the bill’s relevance, enforceability, and implications for rights, governance, and social values in Ghana.