By Valentia Tetteh
The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, has argued that Parliament has completed its constitutional role regarding the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, and should proceed to submit the legislation to the President for consideration.
His remarks come amid calls by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for further consultations and possible reconsideration of the bill following concerns over the procedure leading to its passage on May 29, 2026.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament, Mr. George maintained that the Standing Orders of Parliament do not provide for the reversal or reconsideration of a bill after it has successfully passed all stages, including the third reading.
“Since I saw the appeal, I have read the Standing Orders. There is nothing in our Standing Orders for a reconsideration. When Parliament passes a bill, Parliament becomes functus officio,” he stated.
According to him, once a bill has been passed by the House, Parliament’s responsibility is limited to transmitting it to the President in accordance with the Constitution.
“I think the only role that Parliament has today is to transmit the bill to the President,” he said.
Mr. George explained that the Constitution provides clear procedures for the President to scrutinise legislation after it has been passed by Parliament.
“The President has indicated that he will want scrutiny of the bill. The Constitution spells out the steps the President can take to scrutinise the bill,” he noted.
He said the President may assent to the bill if he has no objections or return it to Parliament with specific recommendations if concerns arise.
“If he has an issue, he can write back to us and say, ‘I have an issue with this provision or that provision; Parliament should reconsider it with his recommendations,’” he explained.
The Ningo-Prampram MP further noted that the President could also refer the bill to the Council of State for advice before making a final decision.
“He can refer it to the Council of State for advice and notify Parliament that he has sent it to the Council of State,” he added.
Mr. George argued that any reconsideration of the bill should only occur through the constitutional process initiated by the President and not through a parliamentary review after the bill’s passage.
“The act of reconsideration of the passage of a bill is alien to our Standing Orders,” he stressed.
He emphasised that Parliament operates strictly according to established rules and procedures.
“Parliament is a House of rules. Respectfully to Mr Speaker, it is not a House of appeals; it is a House of rules,” he said.
According to him, if the President identifies any concerns with the legislation, Parliament can then reconsider those specific provisions based on recommendations formally submitted by the Presidency.
“If there is no rule in the rule book that gives us room to do what he wants to do, then the only route I see is for the Presidency to come back to us and say Parliament should reconsider certain provisions,” he stated.
Mr. George concluded that the House had fulfilled its legislative mandate following the bill’s third reading and passage.
“Once the bill has gone through the third reading, that’s it. We have to transmit it. Let the Presidency come back to us with any challenges that they have,” he said.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament on May 29, 2026.
