Virginia Evelyn Palmer, the US ambassador to Ghana, has voiced her displeasure with the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which the Ghanaian Parliament passed on Wednesday.

Ghanaian lawmakers voted on Wednesday to pass the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill. It has taken nearly three years for this legislation to be passed, and now it awaits Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo’s assent to it. Despite some last-minute attempts by one of the ruling party MPs to propose some amendments, the speaker, Alban Bagbin, rejected them, making way for the bill to be passed.

The bill forbids LGBTQ activity and criminalizes its promotion, advocacy, and funding. Offenders could be jailed for between 6 months and 3 years. Promoters and sponsors of the act could also face a jail term between 3 to 5 years. Human rights activities have called on Ghana’s president to reject the bill.

The US Ambassador to Ghana expressed her dismay on Facebook on Thursday, emphasizing that the bill not only violates the fundamental human rights of the LGBT community but also jeopardizes the freedom of speech, assembly, and the press, which are guaranteed by the constitution to all Ghanaians.

The potential damage to the country’s economy, reputation, public health, and law and order was brought to light by her concerns. The bill outlines penalties, which include a 3- to 5-year jail sentence for promoters and sponsors of such activities, as well as a 6- to 3-year jail term for anyone involved in LGBT activities.

“I am saddened because some of the smartest, most creative, most decent people I know are LGBT. The bill Parliament passed takes away not only their basic human rights but those of all Ghanaians because it undermines their constitutional rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press.

“It will be bad for public order and public health. If enacted, it will also hurt Ghana’s international reputation and Ghana’s economy.”