Parliament has adjourned sine die, formally closing the second meeting of the second session of the Ninth Parliament without revisiting the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2026, commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.
This outcome followed despite an earlier public assurance from Speaker Alban Bagbin that the House would probably rescind its prior decision on the bill. The intention had been to permit a review of three critical clauses designed to strengthen the sentencing provisions before the measure could be re-passed.
A motion seeking to rescind that earlier decision did appear on the Order Paper for Friday, 31 July 2026. However, the House proved unable to adopt the motion prior to the final adjournment, leaving the bill unresolved for the time being.
Notwithstanding this particular setback, the parliamentary meeting still produced several significant pieces of new legislation. Among them was the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026. This measure guarantees that cocoa farmers will receive no less than 70 per cent of the Free on Board (FOB) export price, channelled through the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
Lawmakers also enacted the Excise Bill, 2026. It abolishes excise duties on locally manufactured fruit juices, a step intended to reduce prices for consumers, promote healthier drinking habits and bolster domestic agro-processing industries.
In addition, the House approved the Customs Bill, 2026. The legislation creates a modern legal framework for customs administration, consolidates existing customs statutes, eases international trade, reinforces border security and enhances domestic revenue collection.
Parliament further passed the Tribunals Bill, which authorises the creation of Regional and District Tribunals. These new bodies are expected to ease the substantial backlog of cases currently burdening the ordinary courts.
Two further statutes completed the legislative output of the meeting: the National Defence University Ghana Bill and the Community Service Bill. The latter introduces community service as a non-custodial alternative for offenders convicted of certain categories of offences.
