There are several consequences of LGBTQ+ for Ghana and Ghanaians, irrespective of where we stand as a nation.
Whether President Nana Addo goes ahead to assent the anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law or not, Ghana will continue to have problems. The choice lies between passing the law and suffering its negative implications, or not passing the law and making Ghanaians believe the the ruling NPP government supports the activities of LGBTQ+.
There have been concerns raised since the anti-LGBTQ+ bill process started, and at some point in time, there were suggestions that the ruling party would not allow the bill to go through. Hon. Afenyo Markins is on record saying that if the vote to pass the anti-LGBTQ+ bill was done in secret, the bill would have been rejected.
The Ministry of Finance has requested that the President not sign the anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law since that will mean Ghana losing some 3.8 billion dollars from the IMF, among others, while the president has disclosed that he will wait for the Supreme Court verdict on a case relating to the anti-LGBTQ+ bill before taking any action.
Ghana is at a crossroads, but Ghana Education News has sighted a post on Twitter that outlines some of the consequences for LGBTQ+ on Ghanaians if Ghana does not sign the anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law.
Some Consequences of LGBTQ+ for Ghanaians
#1. Demoralizing our Moral and Cultural Values: The cultural values Ghanaians cherish and frown on activities within LGBT+ will be promoted openly, which will destroy the culture of Ghana by integrating LGBTQ+
#2. Massive Decline/Reduction in the Ghanaian Population: This could be the result of same-sex marriages not leading to procreation in new marriages or homes, hence a gradual decline in the population.
#3. Loss of adequate productivity
#4. Rubbishing our religious beliefs as Christian, Muslim, or Traditional. This will destroy the very foundation of the three main faiths in Ghana and make them look useless and irrelevant.
#5. Depict Ghana as being the pulpit of the West: Ghana will be seen as a nation controlled by the West, a nation that obeys the West towards its own destruction and identity.
This isn’t political; it is about the moral and cultural values of Ghanaians, which ought not to be traded for perocruel interest.
READ: Ghana parliament passes anti-LGBTQ bill
Ghanaians should treat this as a national interest and vote against any political party that has shown disregard for our cultural values.
Ghana’s 275 members of Parliament unanimously passed the bill, known as the 2021 Promotion of Appropriate Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.
READ: Watch video of Sister Derby’s LGBTQ+ advocacy at Sam George’s children’ s school
The bill is set to criminalize the Promotion, Advocacy, Funding, and Acts of Homosexuality. It stiffens prison terms up to 10 years for LGBTQ+ advocates and 3 years for anyone identified with the act of indulgence.