You Keep Hearing “Parliament Has Passed the Bill” — But Is It Already Law?

You hear the word every week. “Parliament has passed the bill.” Sometimes it is a tax bill. Sometimes it is about free SHS or fuel prices. Lately, it has been the Anti-LGBTQ Bill. And almost every time, people react as if the thing is already law as if the police can start enforcing it tomorrow morning.

But that is not how it works.

In Ghana, a bill is only a proposal. It is not yet the law of the land. Until the President signs it and it is published in the Gazette, it has no power to create new crimes, impose new penalties, or change anyone’s rights. This simple distinction is one of the most misunderstood parts of our democracy, and the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill the one everyone simply calls the Anti-LGBTQ Bill, is the clearest example we have right now.

Most of us only pay attention when a bill becomes controversial. We hear the heated debates on Citi FM or JoyNews, we see the bishops and imams speaking, we read the statements from human-rights groups, and we form strong opinions. What we rarely do is pause to ask the basic question: has this thing actually become law yet? In the case of the Anti-LGBTQ Bill, the answer is still no.

The bill first appeared in 2021 as a private members’ bill. The 8th Parliament passed it in February 2024. Then-President Nana Akufo-Addo never signed it, and when that Parliament ended, the bill simply died. It had to start all over again. In the current Parliament it was re-introduced and passed once more on 29 May 2026. Since then, there have been discussions about possible changes to some of the clauses, but the President has not yet given his assent. As of today, mid-August 2026, it remains a bill sitting on the President’s desk. It is not law.

This is not a technicality. It is how our system is deliberately designed. Under the 1992 Constitution, a bill goes through several stages: publication in the Gazette, first reading, committee scrutiny, second reading, detailed consideration of each clause, and a final third reading. Only after Parliament passes it does it travel to the President. The President can sign it, refuse to sign it, or send it back. Until he signs and the text is published, nothing has changed in the statute books.

The Anti-LGBTQ Bill seeks to strengthen existing laws against same-sex sexual acts and to make the promotion, funding and advocacy of LGBTQ+ activities criminal offences. It also introduces a duty for citizens to report certain acts and contains exemptions for lawyers, journalists and health workers doing their jobs. Supporters say it protects Ghanaian family values and cultural norms that the majority of the population holds. Critics say it goes too far, threatens privacy and free speech, and could put already vulnerable people at greater risk. Both sides have strong voices. But neither side can honestly claim that the bill is already enforceable, because it is not.

This gap between “Parliament has passed it” and “it is now the law” exists for every bill, not just the controversial ones. It applies to tax changes, education reforms, and security laws. When we treat every bill that passes Parliament as if it has already become law, we misunderstand how power actually works in our country. We also miss the chance to follow the process properly to watch what the President does next, to see whether the courts will be asked to intervene, and to understand that public pressure still has room to influence the final outcome.

The next time someone says “the bill has been passed,” the useful question is not only whether you support it or oppose it. The useful question is: has it become law yet? In the case of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, the honest answer remains no. It is still a proposal. And in a democracy, that difference matters.