In a surprise move, Ghana has postponed the second reading of its controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill, a decision that campaigners attribute to intense diplomatic pressure from the British government. The bill, which would impose prison sentences of up to ten years for same-sex relations, had been fast-tracked through parliament but was pulled from the agenda this week after a series of closed-door meetings with UK officials.
For weeks, Westminster has been quietly working behind the scenes, deploying trade negotiators and aid officials to Accra. The message was clear: pass this law and risk losing preferential access to British markets. Ghana’s economy, already battered by debt and inflation, could not afford that blow. “We import most of our wheat from the UK,” said Kwame Asare, a market trader in Accra. “If the prices go up because of this, it’s us who suffer.”
The delay marks a rare victory for LGBTQ+ rights in a region where homophobia is often weaponised for political gain. But activists warn that the fight is not over. The bill could return after elections. For now, British diplomacy has bought time. The question is whether Ghana’s lawmakers will use it wisely – or squander it on hatred.
Read more on the implications for regional equality and trade.
