People ‘panicking’ as Ghana passes sweeping law criminalising LGBTQ+ activity

Community groups say some fear they could lose homes, jobs and access to healthcare if the new law is ratified by President John Dramani Mahama

Ghana’s LGBTQ community is living in fear after the country’s parliament approved a sweeping bill that criminalises the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities and identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, rights groups have warned.

The legislation, which was passed on Friday, mandates prison sentences of three to 10 years.

The human sexual rights and family values bill is expected to be signed into law by the Ghanaian president, John Dramani Mahama.

Community organisations say LGBTQ+ people are worried they could lose their homes, jobs or access to healthcare, with most already reviewing and deleting their online posts for fear of their identity being revealed.

Leila Lariba, director of One Love Sisters Ghana, an organisation that supports lesbian and bisexual women, said: “People are panicking and scared. The new bill affects where you are staying; it can get you evicted; it can lead you to lose your job.

“No matter how safe you think you are,” she said, “you do not know who’s ready to talk.”

“We have advised people to prioritise their safety online and offline. If they have content on their social media pages that could put them at risk, we are encouraging them to remove it. People need to be cautious about what they post because they don’t know how this law could be used against them,” Lariba added.

Same-sex relations were already banned under British colonial law in Ghana but the prohibition was rarely enforced. The new legislation expands criminal liability and is designed to affect both LGBTQ+ people and their allies, such as anyone who provides services, support or advocacy.

Amendments approved by MPs exempt healthcare professionals and lawyers from prosecution for providing services to LGBTQ+ individuals but activists have pointed out that the stigma created by the legislation was likely to deter people from seeking help, including around HIV testing or discrimination.

“We believe the president will sign it,” said Lariba. “People out there are going to use this as a stepping stone to maltreat people and harass people. It’s already happening, but with this bill being passed, it’s going to be higher than it was before.”

Ghana’s parliament approved similar legislation in 2024, but the former president Nana Akufo-Addo left office without signing it.

In an address to parliament, the current bill’s sponsor, the Rev John Ntim Fordjour claimed the proposed law would protect Ghanaian family