In recent discussions around Ghana's proposed anti-gay bill, Michael Augustus Akagbor, a Senior Programmes Officer for Human Rights and Social Inclusion at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has expressed concerns about the country's negotiation power on the global stage.
During an interview on JoyNews’ PM Express, Akagbor emphasized the importance of Ghana carefully evaluating its influence and position at an international level before making decisions regarding the passage of the anti-gay bill. This debate was sparked by the comments made by the US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, who warned of severe economic repercussions for Ghana if the bill prohibiting LGBTQ+ activities is enacted.
However, supporters of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill pointed out what they viewed as hypocrisy on the part of the United States. They highlighted that the US maintains trade relations with Saudi Arabia, a country with stringent laws against LGBTQ+ practices. In response, Akagbor underscored the disparity between Ghana and global powerhouses like Saudi Arabia, stressing that Ghana lacks the same level of leverage and influence.
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From an economic standpoint, Akagbor cautioned against overlooking the potential financial implications, citing the example of Uganda, which faced economic repercussions after implementing strict anti-gay laws. He noted the potential loss of $1.6 billion from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) transactions due to strained international relations resulting from the bill’s passage.
Furthermore, Akagbor highlighted the distinctions between Ghana's democratic system and Saudi Arabia's theocratic governance, emphasizing the importance of considering such differences in evaluating how each nation interacts on the global stage.
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On the contrary, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, a prominent advocate for the anti-LGBTQ bill, maintained that Ghana would not suffer consequences if the US chose to sever business ties over the bill. He argued that the US stood to lose more from trade disruptions, asserting that Ghana’s trade relations with the US were more beneficial to the latter.
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