The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has okayed the reintroduction of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 in the House for consideration.
He said he arrived at the decision based on the unanimous advice the Committees on the Private Members’ Bill and the Private Members’ Motion gave to him for the bill to be reintroduced.
He explained that the bill had gone through all the enactment processes in accordance with the Standing Orders of the House.
He, therefore, directed that the bill be scheduled by the Business Committee to be presented to the House for consideration.
No financial imposition
In a communication to the House at the commencement of business yesterday, Mr Bagbin said “The bill does not contain any provision that seeks to impose taxation or charge on the Consolidated Fund or other public funds of Ghana or impose payment issue or withdrawal from the consolidated fund.
“I have reviewed the report of the committee and formed the opinion that the bill does not impose or alter taxation or a charge on the Consolidated Fund in the manner stipulated in Act 108 of the Constitution,” he said.
Mr Bagbin said Order 187 (2) of the Standing Order required that, on the introduction of a private members’ bill, the Speaker shall communicate to the House an opinion on whether the bill complied with article 108 of the Constitution.
He said the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 initially introduced as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021 in August 2021.
He said the bill went through all the enactment processes and was passed by the Eighth Parliament on February 28, 2024.
He said it was however not assented to by the President and therefore lapsed on the dissolution of the Eighth Parliament.
On the inauguration of the Ninth Parliament, he said, by correspondence dated to the January 8, 2025, he referred the bill to the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice for review and comments.
The Office of the Attorney General, he said, submitted comments on the bill by a letter dated April 7, last year.
He said the comments were referred to the sponsors of the bill for consideration.
By correspondence dated February 5, 2025, he said the sponsors of the bill, including old and new members, indicated their desire to re-introduce the bill.
He named them as Samuel Nartey George, Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzrah, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, Helen Ntoso, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Alhassan Tampuli Suleimana, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Mahama Tia Abdul Kabiru and Anthony Mmieh.
Legal opinion
As required by Standing Order 182, Mr Bagbin said a legal opinion dated March 7, last year was submitted to him on the proposed bill.
“I directed the draft person to process the request in accordance with the rules for introduction in the House.
Additionally, in compliance with the requirements of Section 101 (1) of the Public Financial Management Act 2016, (Act 921), he said the fiscal impact analysis report on the proposed bill was duly submitted to him.
Subsequently, he said he directed that the drafting be redone and the bill transmitted pursuant to Order 186.
“Then, I directed the committee on private members’ bill and private members’ motion to consider again and advise on whether the bill complies with the relevant constitutional provisions.
“The committee observed that the re-introduced bill maintains its underlying principles and core objectives and does not contravene in a constitutional provision, particularly articles 106 and 108 of the Constitution,” he said.
He added that the committee observed that the bill did not contain any provision that sought to impose taxation or charge on the Consolidated Fund or other public funds of Ghana or imposed payment issue or withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund.
