Ghana's high court dismisses bid to speed up anti-LGBTQ law passage

A court in Ghana on Monday, April 29 dismissed a legal challenge against President Nana Akufo-Addo's decision on the anti-LGBTQ bill.

Lawmakers passed a law in February to tighten controls on LGBTQ rights. They want Akufo-Addo to make it official. But the president won't do it yet. He wants two legal cases against the bill to finish first. This made some in parliament unhappy.

One lawmaker, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, didn't like the delay. He went to court. But on Monday, the court said no to his challenge.

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Justice Ellen Lordina Serwaa Mireku said it's not right to force Akufo-Addo to act on a bill facing two court cases.

Dafeamekpor's lawyer plans to appeal.

The law in Ghana

Gay sex is already against the law in Ghana, carrying a prison term of up to three years.

If this new bill passes, it will make the punishment even worse. It will also make life harder for LGBTQ people and those supporting them.

Supporters want the bill to become law. But it might cause problems for Ghana's economy. The finance ministry warned it could lose billions in financing from the World Bank and IMF.

The World Bank stopped giving money to Uganda when it made tough anti-LGBTQ laws in 2023.

In a statement, Dafeamekpor expressed disappointment: "We believe in equal rights for all Ghanaians, and this delay is unjust."