The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC)) has expressed its unwavering support for the passage of the Anti-LGBTQ Bill into law despite potential economic implications revealed by the Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry of Finance through a circular has indicated significant economic implications the country would face should the bill be signed into law by President Akufo-Addo. According to the ministry, Ghana is likely to lose a total of 3.8 billion dollars in World Bank financing. This comes after hints of potential implications from other international donors.
Yet, the General Secretary of the GCBC, Reverend Father Clement Kwasi Adjei, says the Church remains supportive of the passage of the Anti-LGBTQ Bill. He believes foreign aiders would not punish Ghana for passing the bill as some African countries with harsher similar laws still enjoy international aid.
“LGBTQ, we do not want it, Ghanaians do not want it. Majority say they do not want it, about 98.5 per cent. Is Ghana the only country undergoing the IMF program? Other countries have this LGBTQ law and have the IMF or the World Bank refuse to assist? he told Joy FM. “I do not think because we have agreed to ban LGBTQ practices, the UN, IMF and the World Bank would not help us.”
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He also warned that the governing New Patriotic Party would be punished at the upcoming 2024 general elections if the president fails to assent to the bill to make it a law.
“From the beginning of this bill, the Church has been part of the process. We gave our opinions and everything to the committee that worked on it and we still continue to speak on it. So when he fails to assent [to the bill], the Church will speak and give its opinion on what he has done. They themselves know that if the president fails to sign, they know the consequences,” he added.
The minority in Parliament has also expressed their dissatisfaction with the Finance Ministry’s release. Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, A.B.A Fuseini, says it is an insult to Ghanaians to suggest that a bill that inculcates Ghanaian values be rejected because of foreign aid.
“It is an insult to the good people of this country to say that Ghana as a sovereign country must subsume the rights, interests and aspirations of our people to the interests, beliefs and values of external bodies like the IMF, World Bank, and WHO. So the interest of the World Bank and the IMF and is more than that of Ghanaians? It is not worth protecting but what is worth protecting is the interests and aspirations of the IMF?,” he said on Joy FM.
The Finance Ministry’s stance adds to the calls from Pro-gay Groups and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for the president to defer signing the Anti-LGBTQ Bill.
