World Bank's sanctioning of Uganda on anti-LGBTQ bill will not deter us – Bedzrah

The Member of Parliament for Ho West, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, who is one of the sponsors of the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Right bill (anti-LGBTQ bill) in Parliament says the group is unperturbed by the World Bank’s sanction of Uganda for passing a similar Act.

The World Bank said on Tuesday it would halt new lending to the Ugandan government after concluding that its anti-LGBTQ law contradicts the bank's values.

In response, the East African country dismissed the move as unjust and hypocritical.

Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah and some other colleagues are pushing for a similar bill to be passed in Ghana and it is currently at the consideration stage.

Commenting on the sanction of Uganda by the World Bank the Member of Parliament for Ho West and one of the proponents of the bill said they were determined to pass the legislation.

“We are prepared for anything, [per] the research carried out by CDD, you will notice that about 80 per cent of Ghanaians or respondents say that they will not allow that behaviour or sexual preference or desire or lifestyle to have happened. And so we those who have been elected by them will stand by whatever these international communities will bring to us”.

He underscored the need for the country to be self-dependent in order not to be controlled by the international community.

“Why don’t we depend on our strength, on our own income, and make sure that we re-engineer the economy of this country, and stop depending on the international community. And stop depending on countries that will loan us money and if they don’t give us the money we cannot stand on our own? he quizzed.