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Professor of Economics and the Dean for the University of Cape Coast School of Business, Professor John Gartchie Gatsi, has revealed that issues of LGBTQ+ in Ghana was not part of the required conditions during the International Monetary Fund negotiations.

According to Prof. John Gatsi, the comments issued by the IMF following the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill popularly called the Anti-Gay bill, is a statement of interest.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Bretton Wood Institution, in a statement, noted, amongst other things, that, "its internal policies frown on discrimination based on personal characteristics, including gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.”

“Diversity and inclusion are values that the IMF embraces,” the Fund emphasised.

In contrast to the IMF assertions, Professor Gatsi believes that Ghana’s finance ministry was being used to “blackmail us to support the President not to sign the bill”, passed by Ghana’s parliament.

He, therefore, pointed that there seems to be a “heavy dose of lobbying” going on in these last minutes of the anti-LGBTQ bill becoming law.

He said, “When we went to the IMF, there was no condition regarding LGBTQ issues.”

“In fact, when the World Bank was giving us [Ghana] money, the only thing that they were waiting for was the signing of the IMF deal that opened the door for them to provide those credits that they’re providing to us.”

Prof. Gatsi continued by stating that, “of course, those monies are not free money, we are going to pay back those monies, and the only condition, according to him, was for the parliament of Ghana to consider those loans and approve them, which has been done long ago."

Meanwhile, the finance ministry has petitioned President Akufo-Addo not to assent the bill considering the grave financial implications Ghana is likely to face in the eyes of the international communities.