The anti-LGBT bill, reintroduced by Ghanaian MPs, is expected to reignite discussions on cultural values versus international human rights obligations, with significant economic implications on the horizon.
Ghana’s MPs Revive Controversial Anti-LGBT Legislation
Ghana’s MPs Revive Controversial Anti-LGBT Legislation
A group of lawmakers in Ghana reintroduces a bill imposing severe penalties for homosexuality amid ongoing debates on human rights.
In a recent development, ten Members of Parliament in Ghana have resubmitted a contentious bill that seeks to enforce some of the most stringent restrictions on LGBT rights across the African continent. This legislation proposes a three-year imprisonment for individuals identifying as gay, with harsher penalties of five to ten years for those advocating or promoting LGBT rights. Although the previous parliament had passed this legislation, it was not signed into law by former President Akufo Addo before his departure in January, due to apprehensions regarding possible legal challenges.
The reintroduction of this bill has drawn significant condemnation from several human rights organizations both locally and internationally, many labeling it as draconian. The previous legislation lapsed with the end of the last parliament, and it remains uncertain whether the current Speaker will allow the new bill to advance for consideration.
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed a preference for a state-sponsored approach, advocating for greater dialogue that would enable collaborative decision-making among parliamentarians. "I do think that we should have a conversation on it again so that all of us, if we decide to move that bill forward, move it forward with a consensus", he stated. Proponents of the bill argue that it is essential for protecting what they regard as Ghanaian cultural and family values.
Conversely, human rights advocates argue that the proposed law is incompatible with Ghana's enduring traditions of peace, tolerance, and hospitality while defying the nation’s international human rights commitments. "Such a law would not only further erode the rule of law in Ghana, but could also lead to further gratuitous violence against LGBT people and their allies," cautioned Larissa Kojoué, a researcher from Human Rights Watch.
Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi, a Ghanaian transgender woman and activist, shared her dismay regarding the bill's resurgence, labeling it as "disheartening and hard to process," while asserting her commitment to continuing the fight for LGBT rights.
An additional layer of concern regarding the economic ramifications of the bill has surfaced, with former finance minister warning of potential losses amounting to $3.8 billion in development aid from the World Bank, alongside adverse effects on the $3 billion IMF support program.
In response to these apprehensions, opposition lawmaker John Ntim Fordjour indicated that economic sanctions should no longer be a worry for Ghana, drawing parallels to the more conservative global political landscape fostered by the Trump administration. Since first being introduced in 2021, the bill has encountered various delays, but its new passage could signal a significant shift in the socio-political climate of Ghana.
The reintroduction of this bill has drawn significant condemnation from several human rights organizations both locally and internationally, many labeling it as draconian. The previous legislation lapsed with the end of the last parliament, and it remains uncertain whether the current Speaker will allow the new bill to advance for consideration.
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed a preference for a state-sponsored approach, advocating for greater dialogue that would enable collaborative decision-making among parliamentarians. "I do think that we should have a conversation on it again so that all of us, if we decide to move that bill forward, move it forward with a consensus", he stated. Proponents of the bill argue that it is essential for protecting what they regard as Ghanaian cultural and family values.
Conversely, human rights advocates argue that the proposed law is incompatible with Ghana's enduring traditions of peace, tolerance, and hospitality while defying the nation’s international human rights commitments. "Such a law would not only further erode the rule of law in Ghana, but could also lead to further gratuitous violence against LGBT people and their allies," cautioned Larissa Kojoué, a researcher from Human Rights Watch.
Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi, a Ghanaian transgender woman and activist, shared her dismay regarding the bill's resurgence, labeling it as "disheartening and hard to process," while asserting her commitment to continuing the fight for LGBT rights.
An additional layer of concern regarding the economic ramifications of the bill has surfaced, with former finance minister warning of potential losses amounting to $3.8 billion in development aid from the World Bank, alongside adverse effects on the $3 billion IMF support program.
In response to these apprehensions, opposition lawmaker John Ntim Fordjour indicated that economic sanctions should no longer be a worry for Ghana, drawing parallels to the more conservative global political landscape fostered by the Trump administration. Since first being introduced in 2021, the bill has encountered various delays, but its new passage could signal a significant shift in the socio-political climate of Ghana.
