The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has praised Ga Mantse Nii Teiko Tsuru II for his exemplary leadership and significant contributions since assuming office.
During a visit to the Ga Traditional Council in Accra last Friday, Ambassador Palmer expressed her admiration for Nii Teiko Tsuru II’s efforts in promoting unity among the Ga people and addressing chieftaincy issues.
She emphasized the importance of recognizing and commending his unique leadership qualities.
Ambassador Palmer was particularly impressed with the Ga Mantse’s commitment to girl-child education and leadership development. She highlighted his initiatives to increase girls’ enrollment in education, pointing to the renovation of the King Tackie Tawiah Senior High School as a prime example of his dedication to this cause.
In their discussions, the Ga Mantse requested the United States’ support in providing resources and expertise for waste management, a key focus of his leadership.
He expressed his gratitude to the US ambassador and her team for their visit, noting that it would further strengthen the cordial relationship between their offices.
U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has expressed deep sadness over the Ghana’s Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill’s passage, highlighting the impact it will have on the rights of LGBTQ individuals and all Ghanaians.
She emphasized that the bill not only infringes upon basic human rights but also undermines constitutional freedoms such as freedom of speech, assembly, and the press.
Palmer warned of the negative implications the bill could have on public order, public health, Ghana’s international reputation, and its economy.
“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.”
The bill, which aims to criminalize LGBTQ activities in Ghana, proposes strict penalties, including imprisonment, for individuals engaged in such activities and LGBTQ advocacy.
It also seeks to prohibit the promotion of LGBTQ rights, organizations, and events in the country. Despite efforts by some members of Parliament to amend the bill citing human rights concerns, the bill ultimately passed after a contentious session.
Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin’s attempts to make amendments during the second consideration stage were rejected by the Minority, leading to the Speaker pushing for the third consideration stage, where the bill was passed with a voice vote.
Now, the bill awaits President Akufo-Addo’s assent to become law. Prior to its passage, there were several amendments made to the bill, including setting a minimum custodial sentence of three years and a maximum of five years for promoters and sympathizers.
Individuals caught directly engaging in LGBTQ activities will face a minimum sentence of six months, extendable to a maximum of three years.
In a video message containing her well wishes for the yuletide season, Ambassador Palmer expressed joy that Ghanaians and Americans were celebrating together in Ghana and the United States, with music, dance, and parties.
She acknowledged that there is much to celebrate in the spirit of unity and shared festivities.
“We’ve helped improve education, public health, access to clean water and support for farmers. We strengthen people-to-people ties with over 6,400 Ghanaians studying in all 50 of the United States, a record. We’ve worked to facilitate economic development that truly benefits all Ghanaians,” she said.
In recent times, Ghana and the United States have strengthened their economic partnership, particularly in the context of the post-COVID recovery program.
The United States Government, through its Embassy in Accra, has been actively supporting Ghana’s recovery plan, including assisting with the International Monetary Fund’s bailout recovery program. The collaboration extends to the cooperation between Ghana and the IMF for a $3 billion package to support the country’s economic recovery efforts.
Looking forward to 2024, Ambassador Palmer intimated that “Building on our $3.7 billion in two-way trade and in 2024, we’ll continue our partnership, our friendship, and our work for all Ghanaians.”
She added “from my family to yours. Happy Holidays ! and best wishes for a 2024 filled with peace and prosperity. Afehyia Pa! Afi ooo Afi!
Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Dr. Nana Agyemang Badu II, has declared his indifference to the possibility of the United States denying him a visa due to his stance against LGBTQ+ rights. He made this statement in response to remarks made by the US ambassador earlier this year.
In August of this year, Virginia Palmer, the US Ambassador to Ghana, cautioned Ghana to exercise caution when considering a bill aimed at prohibiting LGBTQ+ activities in the country. She emphasized that the enactment of such a bill could have ramifications for trade and investment in Ghana.
Ambassador Palmer pointed out that numerous American companies were gearing up to invest in Ghana, and any legislation perceived as discriminatory against LGBTQ+ individuals could tarnish the country’s reputation and reduce its appeal to investors.
“Lots of ethnic communities make Ghana strong, stable, and attractive for investments. I hope it stays that way with regard to the LGBTQ community.
They should be managed to be made the colour of the money green or red if it’s Ghanaian, but if it is discrimination, then that will send a signal not to [only] LGBTQ investors and exporters but to other American companies. Then Ghana will be less welcoming…so I hope it stays that welcoming,” the US Ambassador to Ghana Virginia Palmer said.
The Dormaahene said Ghana would rather stay poor than take assistance from other countries who will demand that the country practices LGBTQ+.
He said: “We don’t need their money; we prefer to be in our poverty than to promote the LGBTQ. What have we gotten from them? How much aid did they bring?… People like her cannot talk the way she’s talking. She cannot. If you want to go to the US, or UK, use the way. Me, one day if I decide to go but if you refuse me the visa, mm I care less. I don’t need that. I can’t exchange the custom of our people with pittance.”
I will resign the day judges are told to accept LGBTQ – Dormaahene
The Wall Street Journal writer is in good condition and is still robust, according to Ambassador Lynne Tracy.
He was taken into custody on March 29 on espionage charges, making him the first foreign journalist taken into custody in Russia since the Soviet era.
The charges are refuted by the US, the Wall Street Journal, and Mr. Gershkovich.
Russia had been brushing aside US requests for more visits since the ambassador’s initial meeting with the reporter in April.
“Ambassador Tracy reports that Mr Gershkovich is in good health and remains strong, despite his circumstances,” a State Department spokesperson said after Monday’s visit.
The 31-year-old is being held at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, a former KGB prison.
The visit comes after a Moscow court rejected an appeal to free Mr Gershkovich on 22 June, a move the US said at the time was extremely disappointing.
Up until Monday’s meeting, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was pushing Russia “virtually every day” to permit consular access.
This had been a point of contention with the two countries, with the US accusing Russia of ignoring international law by blocking detained Americans diplomatic access.
Russia had indicated their decision was linked to the US refusing visas to a group of Russian reporters assigned to cover Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to the UN Security Council in New York.
The Russian foreign ministry described the decision to deny the visas as an act of “sabotage”.
Mr Lavrov said Russia would neither forgive nor forget the decision.
Along with Mr Gershkovich, the US has also been advocating for the release of Paul Whelan, a former US Marine who has been in jail for more than four years.
Mr Whelan is in Mordovia, an area far southeast of Moscow known for harsh conditions in its prison camps.
“Both men deserve to go home to their families now,” the State Department said in a statement.
After being jailed for 10 months, basketball star Brittney Griner was released in December after the US brokered a prison swap and released Russian Viktor Bout, who was imprisoned in the US over weapons smuggling.
Mr Blinken has said the US is exploring ways to bring home “many other Americans who are being detained in different parts of the world in an arbitrary fashion”.
The elections on February 25 “failed to live up to Nigerians’ hopes,” according to the US ambassador to Nigeria.
Mary Leonard encouraged the electoral commission to rectify the problems it ran into prior to the governorship elections on March 11 in a statement.
“It is clear that the electoral process as a whole on 25 February failed to meet Nigerians’ expectations,” the US ambassador said.
“We thus reiterate our call on Inec [Independent National Electoral Commission] to promptly address the challenges that can be resolved ahead of the 11 March gubernatorial elections,” Ms Leonard said.
The envoy urged Inec to be more transparent as it makes reforms on the elections systems.
She commended the presidential poll losers, opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of Labour Party, for pledging to go to court to challenge the outcome of the vote.
Inec has said it will deploy its voter identification system for the 11 March elections and pledged to punish its officials found to have compromised the presidential election.
US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has admonished the media not to consider appeals to protect same-sex individuals as effort to further such interests.
“We don’t want your straight children to be gay, we want your gay children to be safe and I think it is very important that any sort of threat on one group demonstrates that the rights of other people can be encroached upon,” she said.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews’ Foreign Affairs program, Ambassador Palmer stated that discrimination of all kinds is bad, hence the need for social protection measures to safeguard the minority group.
Intimate same-sex relationships are punishable in Ghana with a prison term of three years.
A bill named the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values”, was proposed months after Ghana’s first LGBT community centre opened in Accra in January last year.
The bill seeks to increase jail terms to up to a decade and makes cross-dressing and public displays of same-sex affection punishable by fines or detention. It also makes the distribution of material deemed pro-LGBT by news organisations or websites illegal.
Virginia Palmer, the US ambassador to Ghana, has counseled Ghanaians and their parliamentary representatives to uphold national and international laws that prioritize defending the rights of all people, regardless of sexual orientation.
International groups have expressed worry that the Bill may violate the rights of LGBTQ+ people, a minority demographic in the nation.
In spite of these concerns, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has indicated that “the sexual rights and human values Bill that is being handled by the committee will definitely be passed before the next elections. That Bill will go through,” he stressed.
Commenting on tightening of laws against homosexuals in Ghana, Virginia Palmer said: “We are not commenting on the morality of this. We are just asking for people’s rights to be respected so that they be left peaceful and free from harm”.
The foreign diplomat further told host of JoyNews‘ Foreign Affairs on JoyNews, Blessed Sogah that, “I think it is political hot potato and I think in some ways it is being used as a political hot potato and what I am saying is that I hope that Ghana’s citizens, Ghana’s parliamentarians, Ghana’s leaders will respect Ghana’s Constitution and its international obligations to which it is a signatory.”
It is unclear when Parliament’s Constitutional legal and parliamentary Affairs Committee will conclude its report on the Bill which is currently before the House.
However, speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Sunday, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi said the report will be laid before the House before it rises for the end of year break.
He argues that because permits are granted without consulting traditional authority, chiefs cannot be held accountable for the threat’s reappearance.
“At the district level, we have the District Chief Executive, the Security Council, and the political administration.
Are they all claiming that they are not aware of what these galamseyers are doing?
It’s that simple, the Asante king said: “If they are unable to identify and stop the activity of these galamseyers, then they are unworthy to be there.
He further questioned the failure of local authorities and security agencies to end the menace which has seen many forests and water bodies destroyed.
The Asante monarch made these remarks when the new US Ambassador to Ghana Virginia E. Palmer, paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
Early last month the leader and founder of the United Progressive Party, Akwasi Addai ‘Odike’ incured the wrath of the Manhyia Palace after he questioned the role of chiefs in the fight against illegal mining.
Odike, who was speaking on Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM also charged the youth in mining areas to demonstrate against such chiefs.
But his comments did not sit well with the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) which summoned managers of the station over the development.
The radio station seized operations for nealy 78 hours but was back on air after the issue was resolved at the Manhyia Palace.
Having been her first visit to the region since her appointment as ambassador, Virginia Palmer visited the palace of the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at Manhyia.
Among other things, there were discussions about the continuous investment of the U.S in Ghana’s human capital based on strong bilateral ties rooted in history and common democratic values, 3news reports.
“I’m thrilled to visit Kumasi, the historic capital of the Ashanti Region. I was honored to meet the Asantehene today. Kumasi and its people are an important priority for the United States and I’m glad to have met so many Kumasifuo. I will be back soon,” 3news quotes the U.S. Ambassador Palmer as having said during her trip.
The ambassador also met with the Ashanti Regional Minister and leadership of the National House of Chiefs to discuss issues regarding peacebuilding and governance, and the role of traditional leaders in the development of the Ghanaian people respectively.
Ambassador Virginia Palmer also met with journalists with whom she interacted and reiterated the U.S’ commitment to promoting press freedom and development for journalists and then subsequently met with local entrepreneurs during her visit to the Kumasi Hive.
During this meeting, she encouraged local entrepreneurs and emphasized their roles in contributing to economic growth.
This follows the training of more than 300 local Senior High School students at the Kumasi Hive, with entrepreneurship skills, including design thinking, marketing, and a pitch competition with the support of the U.S. Embassy.
“Promoting inclusion and economic growth, trade, and investment is one of the top priorities of the U.S. government, and enhancing the skills of entrepreneurs across various sectors can boost sustainable economic growth,” said Ambassador Palmer.
Ambassador Palmer concluded her trip with Kumasi-based alumni of U.S. Government exchange programs, including alumni of the Fulbright Program and Mandela Washington Fellowship.
The US ambassador to Ghana, has reaffirmed the US Embassy’s commitment to processing the backlog of visa requests from aspiring Ghanaian students hoping to study in the US.
She stated that the embassy was currently working around the clock to schedule student visa interviews in a timely manner so that those who were successful may fly in advance.
Ms. Palmer advised prospective students to continue applying to US universities despite being discouraged by delayed appointment interviews if they wanted to pursue undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degrees in the US.
Non-emigrant visas
Welcoming prospective students to the opening of the 2022 Education USA College Fair in Accra, Ms Palmer said “I have, with permission, taken every officer with the Consulate and put them to work on the visa line.
“The Consulate section has opened up lots of appointments for non-emigrant visas and I will encourage people that need to go to the United States to go ahead and apply for visas,” she said.
Education fair
The two-day fair brought together about 40 high education institutions in the US to offer the students accurate, comprehensive, and current information about opportunities for students to study at accredited universities in the US.
Some of the participating universities are Howard University, Drexel University, Emory University School of Law, Millersville University, Iowa State University of Science and Technology and Middle Tennessee State University.
The rest are New York Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Taxes Technology University, PACE University, Webster University, University of Houston-Victoria, University of Arizona and University of Kentucky.
Interview waiver
The US ambassador said given the concerns over visa application backlog, the embassy had instituted another programme, dubbed, “Interview waiver programme” to support people who already had expired visas to renew them without going back to the embassy.
“You can just send visa application to us by mail and those renewals are very straightforward,” she assured the public.
She also said the embassy had instituted a procedure by which prospective students could request for expedite visa appointments.
With about 4,200 students studying currently in 630 different educational institutions in the US in 2021 alone, Ms Palmer said Ghana was the second highest “sender” of students to the US.
Additionally, the ambassador indicated that Ghana was also among the top 25 countries globally that sent graduate students to the United States.
Consequently, she said, she had already encouraged Ghanaian students to go and study in the United States.
Bond
A Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, was happy that education had kept the bond between Ghana and the US together over the years.
He noted that the partnership with the US Embassy had been mutual, enabling Ghana to enjoy teaching and learning materials from the US Embassy.
Zambia is getting a new US ambassador years after the last one was forced out following a diplomatic row over his remarks on gay rights in the country.
The newly appointed ambassador, Michael Gonzalez, is expected to arrive in the country next month following his confirmation by the US Congress.
In 2019, the US recalled its then ambassador Daniel Foote after he said that he was “horrified” that a judge had sentenced a gay couple to 15 years in prison.
Zambia accused Mr Foote of trying to dictate policy, and the president at the time, Edgar Lungu, declared him persona non grata.
