The Supreme Court has rejected a petition challenging the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

A seven-member Supreme Court panel, led by Justice Lovelace Avril Johnson, has unanimously dismissed a petition filed by broadcast journalist and lawyer Richard Dela Sky, challenging the constitutional validity of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. The bill, which has sparked intense national debate, aims to criminalize activities related to LGBTQI advocacy.

Mr. Sky argued that the legislative process for the bill was unconstitutional and sought a declaration to nullify it. However, the court upheld the constitutionality of the legislative procedures, rejecting his petition. If passed, the proposed bill would impose penalties on individuals involved in promoting, funding, or indirectly supporting LGBTQI-related activities. Proponents claim it is essential to safeguard Ghanaian cultural and family values, which they see as threatened by foreign influences. Conversely, critics, including human rights groups, argue that the bill violates fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, association, and equality.

A separate petition was also filed by equality advocate Amanda Odoi, who, like Mr. Sky, claimed Parliament had not met constitutional quorum requirements under Articles 102 and 104 of the Constitution during the legislative process. The court dismissed both petitions, emphasizing that the bill is not yet law and thus cannot be subjected to judicial review for constitutionality. Justice Lovelace Johnson clarified that a bill only becomes subject to such scrutiny once it is signed into law by the President.

The Supreme Court’s ruling reinforces its stance that legislative processes cannot be challenged on constitutional grounds until they result in enforceable laws. While this decision halts immediate legal objections, public debate over the bill persists, with supporters viewing it as a measure to uphold societal values and opponents denouncing it as a breach of human rights.