Ghana’s Supreme Court is due to determine the fate of a contentious anti-LGBTQ bill on December 18, less than two weeks after the country’s presidential election, reports Citi News.

The proposed law, which criminalises identifying as LGBTQ with penalties of up to three years in prison, has sparked heated debates both locally and internationally. Lawyer Richard Dela Sky has mounted a constitutional challenge against the bill, with a panel of seven Supreme Court judges set to rule on his case.

Passed by parliament in February, the bill has received vocal backing from the two frontrunners in the December 7 presidential polls. Despite its widespread support among political leaders, civil society groups have criticised the legislation as draconian, arguing it would fuel discrimination and infringe on basic human rights.

Critics warn the law’s implementation could further stigmatise LGBTQ individuals and criminalise those who fail to report their sexual orientation or that of others. Additionally, the legislation poses economic risks, with the Finance Ministry cautioning in March that it could threaten $3.8bn in World Bank funding allocated over six years.

Parliament, frustrated by delays in the Supreme Court’s decision, announced earlier this month that it had resubmitted the bill to President Nana Akufo-Addo for his signature, a procedural step required to enact it into law. 

However, Speaker Alban Bagbin insists the court’s ruling is not a prerequisite for the bill’s implementation.

The court’s upcoming verdict is poised to have significant implications for Ghana, influencing not only domestic human rights but also the nation’s international relations and access to development funding.