Ghana president delays assent to anti-LGBTQ bill until supreme court verdict

March 6, 2024 10:09 am

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Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo says he will make his decision on the anti-LGBTQ bill after the supreme court rules on its constitutionality.

Last week, Ghana’s parliament passed the “Promotion of proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values bill” opposing the rights of LGBTQ+ persons.

Gay sex was already punishable by up to three years in prison in Ghana.

The new bill imposes a prison sentence of up to five years for the “wilful promotion, sponsorship, or support of LGBTQ+ activities”.

It also proposes a jail term of up to 10 years for anyone involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy campaigns aimed at children, and encourages the public to report members of the queer community to authorities for “necessary action”.

Human rights activists and some western nations kicked against the development.

The United States said it was “deeply troubled” by the passage of the legislation, saying the crack down would threaten all constitutionally protected freedoms of speech of Ghanaians, press, and assembly.

The US also called for a review of the constitutionality of the bill to preserve “Ghana’s tradition of tolerance, peace, and respect for human rights”.

In a statement on Monday issued by Eugene Arhin, director of communications at Ghana’s Jubilee House, Akufo-Addo said he was aware that the bill raised considerable anxieties in certain quarters of the diplomatic community and amongst some friends of Ghana.

“I want to assure you that no such back-sliding will be contemplated or occasioned,” the president said.

“I think it will serve little purpose to go, at this stage, into the details of the origin of this proposed law, which is yet to reach my desk.

“But, suffice it to say, that I have learnt that, today, a challenge has been mounted at the Supreme Court by a concerned citizen to the constitutionality of the proposed legislation.

“In the circumstances, it would be, as well, for all of us to hold our hands, and await the decision of the Court before any action is taken.

“The operation of the institutions of the Ghanaian state will determine the future trajectory of the rule of law and human rights compliance in our country.”

Earlier, the finance ministry warned that billions of dollars in World Bank funding could be lost if the bill became law.

Ghana is suffering a major economic crisis, and last year, used a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In 2023, the Ugandan government passed a similar law but with extreme penalties such as life imprisonment and death.

The World Bank said the law contradicted the bank’s values, as it seeks to protect gender and sexual minorities from exclusion in the projects it funds, and announced a halt in new financing to Uganda.

Two months later, the US announced plans to expel Uganda from the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a special US-Africa trade programme that includes Nigeria.