Anti-LGBTQ Bill: Concerns Over Quorum Could Mean Parliament Lacked Numbers To Sit Or Vote – Fmr Deputy Speaker

Former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, says concerns raised over the absence of a quorum during the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, could mean Parliament either lacked the minimum number of Members of Parliament (MPs) required to conduct business or did not have enough members present to take a final decision on the bill.

“If the concerns about quorum during the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill are valid, then one of two situations may have occurred. Either there was no quorum for Parliament to start proceedings at all, or there was a quorum to begin proceedings but not enough members present to take a final decision on the bill,” he stated.

Hon. Osei-Owusu made the remarks in an interview with Kofi Boakye on Nkwantannanso on Opemsuo Radio.

He explained that there is a distinction between the quorum required for parliamentary proceedings and the quorum required for decision-making in Parliament.

According to the former Deputy Speaker, one-third of Members of Parliament constitutes the quorum required for the House to begin proceedings and deliberate on matters before it.

However, he stressed that Parliament requires at least half of all Members of Parliament to be present before it can take a decision on a matter.

Hon. Osei-Owusu noted that Parliament could extensively debate an issue yet still lack the numbers required to take a binding decision.

He further explained that when the required quorum is not present at the start of proceedings, any Member of Parliament may draw the Speaker’s attention to the matter.

The Speaker would then allow up to 30 minutes for members to assemble. If the required number is still not met after that period, the House must adjourn.

“That is the rule governing parliamentary proceedings,” he added.

Mr. Osei-Owusu stressed that parliamentary decisions are determined by a majority vote only when the constitutionally required quorum is present.

He added that where Parliament lacks the necessary numbers to make a decision, consideration of the matter is usually deferred until sufficient members are available to vote.

Background

The debate over quorum follows the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, by the Parliament of Ghana on May 29, 2026. The bill seeks to criminalise LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.

However, President John Dramani Mahama has indicated that the legislation is still “far from becoming law,” citing concerns that have been raised regarding the absence of a quorum during its passage, as well as alleged procedural lapses in the legislative process.

According to the President, the bill must still be presented for presidential assent. He explained that because it is a private member’s bill rather than a government-sponsored bill, it will first undergo legal and constitutional review by the Attorney General and other legal advisers before any decision is taken.

The President further noted that if substantial legal or constitutional concerns are identified, he has options available, including seeking advice from the Council of State, returning the bill to Parliament for reconsideration while outlining the issues that need to be addressed.

The quorum issue has since emerged as a key point in the national debate over the bill’s validity and the constitutional procedures that must be followed before it can become law.