Prime Minister David Cameron announced last week that the British government will withhold aid from countries that ban homosexuality. The announcement has since engendered a number of angry responses from representatives of various African countries, who have announced their rejection of the British prime minister’s threats.
In response to the prime minister's threats, Ghana's Trade and Industry Minister, Hannah Tetteh, expressed anger at what she perceived to be the British government's attempts to manage the affairs of the Ghanaian people:
"Every society has its norms and what it considers to be acceptable. In the Western world it is acceptable to have gay relationships and even move on to the next level to gay marriages; in our society it is unacceptable."
The trade minister also added, "One of the things that states have the right to do is to manage its own affairs and so inasmuch as we would not tell any of the European countries how to manage their affairs. I don't think it is appropriate for them to tell us how we should deal with these issues that are a matter of our own perception of what is morally right or wrong."
Malawi Government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati stated that it was "unfortunate" for Britain to have "pro-gay strings" to aid. She described homosexual acts as being illegal in Malawi and stated that the practice of homosexuality was part of the legacy of British rule.
Ugandan Presidential Adviser John Nagenda commented that Ugandans were "tired of these lectures" and said that his people should not be treated "like children." Nagenda accused Cameron of showing an "ex-colonial mentality" and said "Uganda is, if you remember, a sovereign state and we are tired of being given these lectures by people. If they must take their money, so be it."
MY HERO IS GHANIAN PRESIDENT
 |
| Ghanian President |
President John Evans Atta Mills has called the bluff of UK Prime Minister David Cameron over the latter’s threat to cut aid to countries with anti-gay legislation.
The president, speaking to journalists in response to Prime Minister Cameron’s threat to cut UK aid to African countries which abuse the rights of gay citizens, said Ghana will not capitulate to the United Kingdom or any country for that matter.
"No one can deny Prime Minister Cameron his right to make policies, take initiatives or make statements that reflect his societal norms and ideals but he does not have the right to direct other sovereign nations as to what they should do especially where their societal norms and ideals are different from those which exist in Prime Minister's society," he stated.
He said Ghana will not legalise homosexuality on the say-so of Mr Cameron. "I as president of this nation will never initiate or support any attempt to legalise homosexuality in Ghana," he asserted. President Mills maintained that Britain cannot tell Ghana what to do on her cultural and moral values.
Ghana, he said, will continue to operate within its constitution regardless of any threats from any country. The President said Ghana will not accept aid with conditions which have the tendency to destroy the social fabric of the society.
"Let me also say that whiles we acknowledge all the financial assistance and all the aid which has been given to us by our development partners, we will not accept any aid with strings attached if that aid will not inure to our interest or the implementation or the utilization of that aid with strings attached would rather worsen our plight as a nation or destroy the very society that we want to use the money to improve," the president talked tough.
The president, speaking to journalists in response to Prime Minister Cameron’s threat to cut UK aid to African countries which abuse the rights of gay citizens, said Ghana will not capitulate to the United Kingdom or any country for that matter.
"No one can deny Prime Minister Cameron his right to make policies, take initiatives or make statements that reflect his societal norms and ideals but he does not have the right to direct other sovereign nations as to what they should do especially where their societal norms and ideals are different from those which exist in Prime Minister's society," he stated.
He said Ghana will not legalise homosexuality on the say-so of Mr Cameron. "I as president of this nation will never initiate or support any attempt to legalise homosexuality in Ghana," he asserted. President Mills maintained that Britain cannot tell Ghana what to do on her cultural and moral values.
Ghana, he said, will continue to operate within its constitution regardless of any threats from any country. The President said Ghana will not accept aid with conditions which have the tendency to destroy the social fabric of the society.
"Let me also say that whiles we acknowledge all the financial assistance and all the aid which has been given to us by our development partners, we will not accept any aid with strings attached if that aid will not inure to our interest or the implementation or the utilization of that aid with strings attached would rather worsen our plight as a nation or destroy the very society that we want to use the money to improve," the president talked tough.
