The Centre for Democratic Movement (CDM) has raised concerns over what it describes as inconsistencies in the legislative handling of Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, questioning whether the public was misled about the stage of the legislation before it was returned to Parliament for further amendments.
In a statement, the advocacy group said Ghanaians were repeatedly led to believe that the Bill had completed all parliamentary processes and only required presidential assent to become law.
However, CDM noted that recent developments have revealed that substantial amendments were still being made to the legislation before its final passage.
According to the group, public campaigns surrounding the Bill consistently portrayed it as a completed piece of legislation awaiting the President’s signature.
CDM argued that the latest version approved by Parliament contains significant changes to key provisions, including definitions of offences, exemptions, safeguards and interpretative clauses.
The organisation said these revisions raise important questions about whether the Bill was ever in a truly final form when citizens were urged to pressure the previous administration to assent to it.
“Public discussions over the years suggested the legislative process had been concluded, yet extensive amendments have now emerged,” the statement indicated.
Major Provision Removed
One of the key concerns highlighted by CDM is the removal of a provision in the original draft that addressed actions deemed to undermine family values.
According to the group, the section contained sanctions, including fines and possible imprisonment, for persons considered to be encouraging or supporting such acts.
CDM said the entire provision has been deleted from the amended version of the Bill without any replacement, describing the move as a significant change that alters the scope of the legislation.
The organisation questioned why the public was encouraged to demand immediate presidential assent if Parliament itself later found it necessary to undertake extensive revisions.
Call for Explanation
CDM is calling on the Government, Parliament and stakeholders who championed the Bill to provide a clear explanation for the differences between earlier public representations and the current amended version.
The group also wants clarification on whether the extent of the revisions was known during earlier advocacy campaigns and whether citizens were adequately informed about the status of the Bill.
It further called for transparency and accountability in the legislative process, stressing that public trust in democratic governance depends on accurate communication and openness on matters of national importance.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill has remained one of Ghana’s most debated legislative proposals, attracting both strong support and criticism since its introduction as a private members’ bill.
