Former Minister of Information and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Committee on Economy and Development, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has expressed deep concern over a draft cybersecurity bill being considered by the government. According to him, the bill poses a serious threat to freedom of expression, as it could potentially criminalize speech and online commentary.
Speaking in a recent interview, Oppong Nkrumah described the draft as “dangerous, though not surprising.” He explained that the President had earlier hinted at plans to utilize national security agencies to target individuals who make certain comments on social media, a move that, in his view, is now being formalized through legislation.
“What we are seeing appears to be a draft, and they want to consult on that draft. From what I have seen as a former information minister, this draft is dangerous, though it’s not surprising,” he said.
The legislator recalled that the President himself announced intentions to use the national security apparatus to track down individuals whose online posts are deemed unfavourable.
“They’re gonna search for your IP addresses and then get the security apparatus to go after you. The president himself said it,” he stated.
Oppong Nkrumah criticized the approach as a step backward for Ghana’s democracy, arguing that global trends show countries moving away from criminalizing speech. He pointed out that even Ghana’s Criminal Libel and Sedition Act, which was once used to target journalists and dissenting voices, was repealed years ago under the Kufuor administration to expand democratic freedoms.
“Over the last set of decades, various countries have been moving away from criminalising speech. Even the Criminal Libel and Sedition Act was repealed by the Kufuor administration,” he noted.
The former minister further cautioned that instead of repealing outdated laws such as the “publication of false news with intent to cause fear and panic” provision, the government seems intent on introducing new measures that could punish citizens for private or group messages deemed offensive.
“When you put up a comment in your chat groups and they find it offensive according to their criteria, you could go to jail. And I think it’s a very dangerous encroachment into the area of free speech,” he warned.
Oppong Nkrumah urged the government to tread cautiously and reconsider the implications of the bill during the consultation phase.
“I’m hopeful that when the consultations start, the government will see wisdom in backtracking and ensuring that instead of seeking to further criminalise speech, even the remnant laws on criminalisation of speech should be repealed,” he added.
The debate over the proposed cybersecurity bill has sparked concern among civil society groups and media stakeholders, who fear it could be used to silence dissent and restrict online freedom. As discussions on the draft continue, many are calling for a balanced approach that strengthens cybersecurity without compromising the constitutional right to free expression.
