Agalga rejects claims Mahama has shifted position on LGBTQ bill

Majority Leader James Agalga has rejected claims that President John Mahama has changed his position on the LGBTQ bill. He says errors in the legislation have held up its transmission to the Presidency. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Mr Agalga said Parliament must correct the bill’s penal provisions before submitting it for assent. “Contrary to all the wild speculations that the president has shifted goalposts and all that. No, he hasn’t.” He placed responsibility for the outstanding work squarely on Parliament. “We have the duty of enacting laws,” he said. Mr Agalga explained that the House discovered inconsistencies after the bill had passed its third reading. These included errors in computing penalty units and provisions that did not align with existing legislation. “For instance, how to compute penalty units was completely done in error, in some cases,” he said. He warned that leaving those defects unresolved would create problems when courts apply the legislation. “Otherwise, the bill as it stands in this current form would have serious challenges when it comes to implementation,” he said. Parliament would therefore have to rescind its third-reading decision. That would allow a second consideration to correct the penalties before the bill returns for passage. “So, not much of substance would change,” Mr Agalga said. The explanation follows months of controversy over the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, passed on May 29, 2026. The Minority opposed amendments covering professional services, arguing that they weakened the legislation. The Majority maintained that the exemptions clarified existing constitutional protections. The fallout also drew in Speaker Alban Bagbin. He summoned parliamentary leaders after saying the passage had caught him off guard. He called for consensus on the process and implementation. On Tuesday, the Speaker renewed his commitment to completing the bill during the current meeting. He also threatened to publicly identify anyone who obstructed the process. Mr Agalga confirmed that the Speaker would handle the corrections during this meeting. When asked whether the bill would reach the President this month, he replied, “Absolutely.” He maintained that Parliament was the proper forum to resolve the defects and clear the way for transmission to the President.