On the recent caution from the US Ambassador regarding potential economic repercussions if Ghana enacts the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill (anti-LGBTQI bill), Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, shared his perspective.

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During an interview on JoyNews' PM Express show on November 21, 2023, Sam George accused US Ambassador Virginia Palmer of misinterpreting certain provisions within Ghana's proposed anti-LGBTQI legislation.

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He suggested that the Ambassador's statements may be based on a misunderstanding of the bill's content.

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“Virginia Palmer is within her rights to make the comments, she has made. First and foremost, I must say that the things she said about the bill are factually incorrect, they are not true. There is a difference between reading the bill and understanding it. She clearly has no understanding of the bill,” he said.

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“On the economic pain, take it from me, the US is within its rights to flex its muscles but Ghana is a sovereign Nation. If you look at the total amount of aid that Ghana received in 2022 from the US, it was a $150 million. What percentage of our GDP is that again?

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“If you put together a few corrupt Ghanaian politicians, they have, combined, more than a $150 million to their name – that is the total amount of aid. So, when there is the threat of aid (sic)… are we going to sell our national identity and sovereignty as a state because of a $150 million for an economy whose GDP is nearing a ($) 100 billion – that is less than 1 percent of your GDP,” he said.

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The legislator from Ningo-Prampram, one of the backers of Ghana's anti-LGBTQI bill, rejected the ambassador's claim that Ghana's economy would face severe consequences if the bill becomes law.

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