Virginia Palmer
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has warned that Ghana risks alienating investors from the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer Intersexual (LGBTQI) community and other Americans, if the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill is passed.
The proposed law, which is currently under consideration in Parliament, intends to introduce wide-ranging restrictions on LGBT+ rights.
The US Ambassador said discriminating against the LGBTQI community will make Ghana an unattractive destination for investors and exporters as well as other American companies.
She made the remarks during a press conference in Accra on Thursday, August 10, 2023, noting, “Lots of ethnic communities make Ghana strong, stable, and attractive for investments. I hope it stays that way with regard to the LGBTQ community.”
“Ghana is a very welcoming, tolerant society, with lots of interreligious harmony, lots of ethnic harmony that makes Ghana strong and stable, and attractive for investments.
“I hope it stays that way with regard to the LGBTQI Community. There is money to be made, and the colour of your money is green or red, but if there is discrimination or worse than that will send a signal to not just LGBTQ investors, but other American companies,” she stated.
The World Bank recently announced the suspension of new loans to Uganda owing to the country’s new LGBTQ legislation.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has accused the World Bank of attempting to put pressure on the government over its anti-LGBT laws.
President Museveni, on the other hand, claimed in a social media message that Uganda’s progress would be independent of loans.
According to him, the World Bank cannot coerce Uganda into abandoning its faith, culture, principles, and sovereignty through the use of money.
“They really under-estimate all Africans. We do not need pressure from anybody to know how to solve problems in our society. They are our problems,” Mr. Museveni said.
By Ernest Kofi Adu