Constitutional Violations Can Justify Reopening Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill — Joe Wise

Former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Speaker Alban Bagbin’s concerns over the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, popularly known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Wednesday, June 3, he argued that only a constitutional breach—not merely a procedural irregularity—would warrant the reopening of a bill that Parliament has already passed.

Responding to questions about whether alleged breaches of Parliament’s Standing Orders were substantial enough to justify a fresh third reading of the bill, Mr. Osei Owusu said he had yet to be informed of the specific procedural violations being cited.

“Frankly, I’ve not heard which specific Standing Orders have been breached. But as I said, it is only a constitutional breach which, in my view, can lead to the matter being reopened,” he added.

This comes on the back of the Speaker’s call for Parliament to revisit the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill after raising concerns about the process leading to its passage on Friday, May 29.

Mr. Bagbin indicated that he had expected Parliament to begin consideration of the bill and was surprised to learn that all stages of the legislative process had already been completed.

The concerns have sparked debate among lawmakers and legal observers over whether the legislative process should be revisited.

However, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has insisted that Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, validly, arguing that Speaker Alban Bagbin has no authority to reverse a decision already taken by the House.