US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has indicated that the US government will restrict foreign aid to Ghana if the country approves the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-LGBT Bill.
Engaging the press, Mr Miller said, “If this bill becomes law, it will only have a chilling effect on investment. For instance, in Ghana, you’ve seen that same chilling effect bear fruit in Uganda, which passed a very similar law in the past. I can say that should the bill pass, it would potentially have ramifications for US assistance in the country.”
He noted that both governments have had intensive conversations on the matter, which were done behind closed doors.
The US provided over $211 million in assistance to Ghana in fiscal year 2022, supporting various sectors including agriculture, malaria prevention, and AIDS combat efforts.
The United States has expressed deep concern over the passage of stringent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Ghana, stating that it threatens constitutional freedoms.
The new bill, passed on Wednesday, imposes a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ+. It also imposes a maximum five-year jail term for forming or funding LGBTQ+ groups.
The bill will be presented to President Nana Akufo-Addo, after which he’ll have seven days to sign it into law or refuse to assent to it, according to Ghana’s constitution.
The passage of the bill has been criticized by rights organizations and other groups.
“The bill would also undermine Ghana’s valuable public health, media and civic spaces, and economy,” the US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Also, UNAids executive director Winnie Byanyima said the bill, if it becomes law, could incite violence by Ghanaians against their fellow citizens.
She said that it will “obstruct access to life-saving services, undercut social protection, and jeopardise Ghana’s development success.”