Virginia Palmer, the US Ambassador to Ghana, has issued a warning that the country’s trade and investment could be harmed by the passing of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
While some American businesses are planning to invest in Ghana, according to Ambassador Palmer, any law that discriminates against LGBTQ+ individuals might harm Ghana’s reputation and deter investors.
“Lots of ethnic communities make Ghana strong, stable, and attractive for investments. I hope it stays that way with regard to the LGBTQ community. They should be managed to be made the colour of the money green or red if it’s Ghanaian, but if it is discrimination, then that will send a signal not to [only] LGBTQ investors and exporters but to other American companies. Then Ghana will be less welcoming…so, I hope it stays that welcoming.”
Virginia Palmer
The Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, which Parliament is presently debating, intends to criminalize LGBTQ+ behaviors, outlaw the promotion and support of LGBTQ+ content, and offer safety and assistance to minors and anyone engaged in LGBTQ+ concerns.
In July 2023, a request to enjoin Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin from proceeding with the bill’s consideration was denied by the Supreme Court of Ghana. A researcher by the name of Dr. Amanda Odoi submitted the application, claiming that the continued consideration of the law violates Article 108 of the 1992 Constitution.
According to Article 108 of the Constitution, a bill or motion cannot be debated by Parliament if the person presiding believes it would result in taxation, a charge to the consolidated fund, or other use of public funds, unless the President has introduced it. The application claims that the bill, taken as a whole, will cost the consolidated funds and violate the 1992 Constitution because it is a private members bill.
This legal move fuels more discussion and controversy around the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which has been the subject of varied perspectives from interested parties.
Ghana Not Perturbed About WorldBank Sanctions On Uganda
According to Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, one of the bill’s proponents in Ghana’s Parliament, the World Bank’s action against Uganda, which has passed the anti-gay bill into law, is not alarming to Ghana in anyway.
As stated by the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, the World Bank cannot force African nations to accept homosexuality.
He said, “Ghana is not perturbed by what is happening in Uganda. In any case, the World Bank is a bank for all of us, it is not a bank of just a group of people.”
“Africa has 54 nations and if the world bank wants to blackmail Africa into accepting LGBTQ, I think they are wrong, they are biting more than they can chew. We will not back down today, we will not back down tomorrow.”
Rocks on-Nelson Dafeamekpor
In response to Uganda’s contentious anti-LGBTQ law, the World Bank has stated that it will stop making new loans to that nation.
The lender with its headquarters in Washington, DC, announced on Tuesday that it would halt project financing, while it reviewed the procedures it had put in place to safeguard sexual and gender minorities against prejudice and exclusion in its projects.
The World Bank Group stated in May that it was “highly concerned” about the law’s adoption, since it did not align with the lender’s ideals.
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