Don’t sign “draconian and hateful” anti-gay bill – Richard Branson to Akufo-Addo

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson, has expressed concern about the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill by Ghana’s Parliament.

The British Virgin Islands-based billionaire described the bill as a backslide on human rights and an economic disaster.

The 73-year-old Richard Branson disclosed that he had shared his thoughts on why the bill must not be assented into law and indicated that “the only way to stop the bill coming into effect is for President Addo to veto it.”

In late February, I watched with deep concern as Ghana’s parliament passed a cruel and terrifying new anti-LGBTQ+ bill, that criminalises people simply for coming out, giving courts the power to impose a prison sentence of up to three years.

Not only is the bill a clear violation of fundamental human rights, it also carries the risk of disastrous economic consequences for Ghana (as the finance minister stressed in a memo)?

Love is love, straight or gay, and we should always stand up so that the LGBTQ+ community can live and love in peace

I am also proud that Virgin is a co-founder of Open For Business, a coalition of businesses fighting homophobia on a global scale and making the business case for LGBTQ+ inclusion