Parliament passed 12 major bills at its second meeting

Parliament has ended the Second Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament after passing 12 major bills covering taxation, investment, justice, maritime security, defence, local governance, cocoa sector reforms and energy financing.

The bills form part of the government’s wider legislative programme to modernise key sectors, strengthen public institutions, improve revenue mobilisation and address long-standing policy and regulatory gaps.

The laws passed include the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025; Ghana Investment Promotion Authority Bill, 2025; Maritime and Related Offences Bill, 2026; Community Service Bill, 2026; National Defence University, Ghana Bill, 2026; Value Added Tax Amendment Bill, 2026; Income Tax Amendment Bill, 2026; Tribunals Bill, 2026; Customs Bill, 2026; Excise Bill, 2026; Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026; and Energy Sector Levies Amendment Bill, 2026.

The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was passed on May 29, 2026.

The bill seeks to prohibit activities relating to LGBTQ+ advocacy, promotion and related practices, while prescribing sanctions for acts prohibited under the legislation.

It remains one of the most debated bills passed during the meeting, drawing public, legal and international attention over questions of constitutional rights, human rights and cultural values.

On June 25, Parliament passed the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority Bill.

The legislation replaces the existing investment promotion framework and creates a new Ghana Investment Promotion Authority.

It is intended to improve investor services, strengthen investment regulation and position Ghana to attract more local and foreign direct investment.

The Maritime and Related Offences Bill was passed on June 30.

It strengthens Ghana’s legal framework for dealing with maritime crimes, including piracy, armed robbery at sea, illegal fishing, trafficking and other offences within the country’s maritime domain.

The bill also aligns Ghana’s maritime laws with international conventions and improves the country’s capacity to secure its waters.

Parliament also passed the Community Service Bill on July 8.

The bill introduces community service as an alternative punishment for selected offences.

It is aimed at reducing prison overcrowding, promoting rehabilitation and giving persons convicted of minor offences an opportunity to contribute positively to society.

The National Defence University, Ghana Bill was passed on July 17.

It establishes a National Defence University to provide advanced military education, research and professional training for the Ghana Armed Forces and other security agencies.

The institution is also expected to support national security policy development.

On July 29, Parliament passed two tax-related amendments: the Value Added Tax Amendment Bill and the Income Tax Amendment Bill.

The VAT amendment revises aspects of the country’s VAT system to improve tax administration, simplify selected processes and enhance compliance.

The Income Tax amendment updates provisions of the Income Tax Act to reflect government tax policy changes and clarify obligations for individuals and businesses.

The Tribunals Bill was passed on July 30.

It provides a modern framework for the establishment, composition, jurisdiction and procedures of tribunals in Ghana.

The bill is intended to improve access to justice and strengthen the efficiency of dispute resolution.

Also passed on July 30 was the Customs Bill.

The legislation modernises Ghana’s customs laws by strengthening border management, improving trade facilitation, enhancing revenue collection and tightening measures against smuggling and customs-related offences.

The Excise Bill, also passed on July 30, consolidates and updates the legal framework governing excise duties on selected locally manufactured and imported goods.

It is expected to improve excise tax administration and support domestic revenue mobilisation.

The Ghana Cocoa Board Bill was passed on July 31.

The bill reforms the legal framework governing COCOBOD, with the aim of improving governance, operational efficiency, financial management and the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa sector.

It is also expected to support broader cocoa sector reforms, including farmer welfare and value addition.

The Energy Sector Levies Amendment Bill was also passed on July 31.

The amendment increases levies on fuel oil and extends the Road Fund Levy to fuel oil.

Government says the changes are intended to plug revenue leakages, curb abuse within the fuel subsidy regime and strengthen energy sector financing.

The arrangement also maintains tax refunds for legitimate industrial users through a post-payment refund mechanism.

The passage of the 12 bills reflects a busy legislative session with reforms cutting across economic management, justice delivery, agriculture, defence, energy, trade and public administration.

Several of the bills give effect to policy commitments announced in the 2026 Budget, while others create new institutional and legal structures to support governance and long-term national development.