Finance Ministry pursuing government’s covert agenda on LGBTQ+ bill – GFL SG

The Ministry of Finance’s recent letter purportedly advising President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo against assenting to the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act is part of the government’s clandestine agenda not to sign and bow to international dictators who have stood against the bill over the past three years with their Ghanaian collaborators.

The President and the Government, having failed to stop the passage of the bill through Parliament, now adopt new methods by using the economic panic knob to deceive and covertly put pressure on Ghanaians to backtrack due to impending economic sanctions and possible hardship, Mr. Abraham Koomson, Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), has revealed.

Mr. Koomson, speaking to journalists in Tema at the weekend, questioned the benefit of financial support from international organizations such as the Bretton Woods institutions.

He noted that according to the Edmunds Act of the USA, bigamy is punishable by "a fine of not more than five hundred dollars and by imprisonment for a term of not more than five years," stressing that polygamy, which is considered African, is punishable in the USA. “Where are the American Human Rights activities? Five years of imprisonment in America for polygamy is not harsh, but serving between three and five imprisonments for LBTQ+ activities in Ghana is harsh.

Mr. Koomson has raised concerns regarding the Ministry of Finance’s recommendation to President Akufo-Addo against signing the controversial bill, stressing that in the UK, a person guilty of bigamy is liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years, or on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to a fine not exceeding the prescribed sum, or to both.

“What a double standard! We Africans, and for that matter, Ghanaians, also have our values and human rights to protect. We have our dignity to protect, and we shall not allow anyone to dictate to us because of the funds they give us.

“In any case, when we are engaged in business, it is not for free; loans from these foreign entities are always paid with huge interest rates and other conditions,” he said.

According to the finance ministry, signing the bill into law could jeopardize the disbursement of the expected US$3.8 billion in financing from the First Ghana Resilient Recovery Development Policy Operation (Budget Support), which is awaiting Parliamentary approval.

The GFL Secretary General urged parliament not to approve the First Ghana Resilient Recovery Development Policy Operation until the President assents the bill into law.

Mr. Koomson expressed skepticism about the government’s priorities, suggesting that President Akufo-Addo was prioritizing financial gains over safeguarding Ghanaian culture.

“LGBTQ+ is something we shouldn’t tolerate in the country, and I believe Nana Addo is hesitant to sign the anti-LGBTQ+ bill because of money. Otherwise, why would the Finance Ministry warn us about potential financial losses if the President signs the bill?” he remarked.

Mr. Koomson cautioned Ghanaians to be wary of the ruling NPP government, accusing them of being untrustworthy and failing to deliver on their promises.

“Isn’t this the same government that advocated for Ghana Beyond Aid? What kind of people are they? We are in peril under the NPP, and we must be cautious because they could destroy the country and harm its citizens,” he warned.

He further emphasized the government’s track record of broken promises, citing examples such as Ghana Beyond Aid, the One Village, One Dam initiative, and the promise of $1 million for each constituency.

“I believe Nana Addo will prioritize money over moral and legal considerations. This is a test case for the President and the NPP to demonstrate to Ghanaians that they care about the morals and values of our culture; it should not be all about money,” Mr. Koomson added.

Mr. Koomson also quoted religious verses and the joint stand by both Christians and Muslims against LGBTQ+ activities, stressing that “we have a Christian President and Muslim Vice President, so by their faith, assenting the bill should not be a problem at all.

The GFL Secretary General said the practices should be condemned in Ghana in the name of God and to preserve Ghanaian culture.

“I believe it’s not right, as the Bible speaks against it. Morally, it’s wrong, and we should denounce it in Ghana,” Mr. Koomson stated.