Ghana’s finance ministry has issued a warning that should President Nana Akufo-Addo sign a contentious anti-LGBTQ measure, the nation would forfeit a significant amount of funding from foreign banks, estimated to be worth USD$3.8 billion over the next five to six years. Ghana’s foreign exchange reserves and exchange rate stability may be negatively impacted, according to a statement made on Monday by the Finance Ministry. The statement went on, “To communicate the economic implications of the passage of the ‘Anti-LGBTQ’ Bill and to build a stronger coalition and a framework for supporting key development initiatives that are likely to be affected, the Presidency may have an organized engagement with local conservative forces, such as religious bodies and faith-based organizations.”
After being proposed for three years, the contentious law that outlaws lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activities and criminalizes their funding, advocacy, and promotion in the west African country was unanimously approved by Parliament on Wednesday.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values (anti-LGBTQ+) bill, if approved by President Akufo-Addo, would, among other things, penalize individuals who intentionally promote or participate in LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana with a minimum sentence of six months and a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
International human rights organizations and activists have denounced the law.
(Africanews)
