Legal action against LGBTQ+ assent means Akufo-Addo, Bawumia support their activities – Dr. Apaak

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak says for President Akufo-Addo tated that for President Akufo-Addo and his Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to allegedly use a conduit to institute a legal action on the LGBTQ+ means they support their activities.

In a tweet, the Builsa South lawmaker questioned the bases for the move against the bill.

“It’s now clear that President Akufo-Addo, his Vice, Dr. Bawumia and their party, NPP support LGBTQI+ activities.

“If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be using a conduit to initiate legal action in the Supreme Court to give the President an excuse not to sign the bill passed by Parliament into law,” Builsa South lawmaker tweeted.

However, the National Communication Officer for the National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi has also described the move against the bill as a shame.

“As can be seen on the face of the writ, the suit challenging the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, was filed in the Supreme Court of Ghana today, 5th March, 2024 at about 1pm.

“This begs the question as to how President Akufo-Addo could refer to the suit in his speech yesterday, when same was filed only today.  How did President Akufo-Addo know as at yesterday, that the suit had already been filed at the Supreme Court, when same was filed only today?,”

“Why did the President lie to the nation and international community yesterday, that a suit had been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, when he knew that to be false?” Mr. Gyamfi quizzed.

He continued: “This legal action is nothing but an NPP-sponsored suit, calculated to serve as a convenient excuse for the President to refuse to assent the Bill on Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values.

“The NPP pretended to support the anti-LGBTQI Bill in the open, only to stab the Christian community, Muslim community, Traditional authorities and Ghanaians at large, in the back.

“Shame on President @NAkufoAddo, his complicit Vice, Alhaji @MBawumia and the entire NPP, for toying with the values of our nation and the future of our children. The scales are off. Ghanaians now know who the real gay lobbyists are.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has earlier told the public that Ghana is likely to lose US$3.8 billion in World Bank Financing over the next five to six years and also derail the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme if anti-gay bill is assented to.

The Ministry in a statement catalogued a number of challenges Ghana may grapple with as a result of the passage of the LGBTQ+ passage by Parliament.

“The expected US$300 million financing from the First Ghana Resilient Recovery Development Policy Operation (Budget Support) which is currently pending Parliamentary approval might not be disbursed by the Bank when it is approved by Parliament.;

“On-going negotiations on the Second Ghana Resilient Recovery Development Policy Operation (Budget Support) amounting to US$300 million may be suspended; On-going negotiations for US$250 million to support the Ghana Financial Stability Fund ay be suspended;

“Disbursement of undisbursed amounts totaling US$2.1 billion for on-going projects will be suspended; and Preparation of pipeline projects and declaration of effectiveness for two projects totaling worth US$900million may be suspended. Full details of the World Bank portfolio are attached as Appendix 1 & 2.

“In total, Ghana is likely to lose US$3.8 billion in World Bank Financing over the next five to six years. For 2024 Ghana will lose US$600 million Budget support and US$250 million for the Financial Stability Fund. This will negatively impact on Ghana’s foreign exchange reserves and exchange rate stability as these inflows are expected to shore the country’s reserve position.”

Source: Today.com.gh