President John Dramani Mahama has called on multilateral institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to steer clear of Ghana’s domestic policies, particularly on cultural and social issues like LGBTQ+ rights.
In an interview with Bloomberg’s Next Africa, Mahama emphasized that these institutions should focus on their economic mandates rather than attempting to influence cultural values.
“Multilateral institutions should avoid getting into cultural matters,” Mahama said. “This is a diverse world. We have different cultures.”
His remarks come amid concerns that the World Bank and IMF could withdraw funding if Ghana revives a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill in parliament.
“If they decide to pull [funding], well, it’s their prerogative,” Mahama stated. “But I don’t believe that multilateral institutions like the World Bank and IMF should include in their mandates how people behave culturally.”
Mahama advocated for broader stakeholder consultation on any new version of the bill and stressed the importance of education in preserving family values over legislation.
Ghana’s parliament is expected to revisit the anti-LGBTQ+ bill soon, following the previous bill’s lapse due to legal challenges and the lack of presidential assent.