A leaked memo from Ghana’s finance ministry has revealed the dire consequences of a draconian anti-LGBT bill that was approved by parliament last week.
The bill, which criminalizes anyone who identifies as or supports LGBT+ people, could cost the country a whopping $3.8bn (£3bn) in World Bank aid over the next five to six years.
This would be a devastating blow to Ghana’s economy, which is already reeling from a severe crisis and an IMF bailout last year.
The finance ministry has urged President Nana Akufo-Addo to delay signing the bill until the Supreme Court decides if it violates the constitution. However, the court case could take months, and the president has only seven days to act on the bill once he receives it.
The bill, dubbed the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill, has sparked outrage from the US, UK, and human rights groups, who have denounced it as a gross violation of human dignity and rights.
The bill is also out of step with the values of the IMF, which has said it supports diversity and inclusion.
Ghana is not the only African country to face backlash over anti-LGBT laws. Last year, the World Bank suspended new loans to Uganda after it passed a harsher bill that imposes the death penalty for some LGBT+ offences.
Ghana stands to lose more than money if it enacts the anti-LGBT bill. It also risks losing its reputation as a democratic and progressive nation in Africa.