On Wednesday, Ghana’s Supreme Court dismissed two legal cases against the contentious Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, a proposed law that imposes strict penalties on Lesbian Guy Bisexual Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) activities.
The legislation, approved by parliament in February 2024, has faced international backlash but enjoys widespread public support in the socially conservative West African nation.
The proposed bill stipulates jail terms ranging from six months to three years for individuals engaged in LGBTQ-related activities.
However, it has yet to become law, pending the assent of outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo, who stepped down on January 7, 2025, after completing his second term.
Akufo-Addo previously stated he would await the Supreme Court’s decision on the bill’s constitutionality before making a final decision.
The Supreme Court, led by Judge Avril Lovelace-Johnson, ruled that it would be premature to adjudicate the matter before the bill receives presidential assent.
“Until there is presidential assent to the bill, there is no act of which the Supreme Court will use its supervisory jurisdiction to overturn,” Lovelace-Johnson stated in her judgment.
The decision follows legal challenges filed by prominent Ghanaian broadcaster Richard Dela-Sky and university researcher Amanda Odoi, who questioned the bill’s compliance with constitutional principles.
Despite their efforts, the court’s seven-member panel dismissed both cases.
The Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill has drawn widespread criticism from international bodies, including the United States, and sparked concerns from Ghana’s finance ministry over potential economic repercussions.
The ministry has warned that the law could jeopardize billions of dollars in World Bank funding, adding a layer of complexity to the already polarizing debate.
