The Catholic Bishops Conference has urged the government to reject the $139 million budget support the United States government has promised Ghana if it is tied to the country accepting LGBTQ+ activities.
Speaking in an interview with Catholic Trends, the President of the Catholic Bishop Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, said that accepting aid from the US government with any LGBTQ conditions would amount to the government selling the country’s birth right.
He added that the government must tell the people of Ghana what the conditions for the $139 million are before accepting it.
“This is a very serious issue. It is at the gate of who we are as Ghanaians and nobody should toy with it with money. And if that should be the case (the aid is tied to Ghana accepting LGBT), let the government reject the money and tell the people, this is what they are saying. Should I take it? So that you do this or not and let the people decide.
“This is not the first time. We have seen the European Union, the United States and these rich countries sometimes push down our throats with certain reforms and certain things and they say if only you do these things, we would give you the money.
“I know the government has done that over and over and over, and many Ghanaians know it. It is not only I who is saying it. So when it comes to something that makes a people, a people. That is their culture and tradition, then if you sell your birth right, culture and tradition, if you sell who you are for money when you get the money who are you again?” Most Rev. Gyamfi said.
The office of the United States Vice President indicated that the US government will support Ghana with $139 million for the 2024 fiscal year.
According to Aljazeera, the $139 million is an addition to the $100 million security support, Vice President Kamala Harris announced for five West African countries including Ghana.