The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has urged policymakers to adopt a balanced and rights-sensitive approach in reviewing Ghana’s Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
He warned that efforts to combat online crime must not erode civil liberties.
The proposed bill, currently before Parliament, seeks to grant the Cyber Security Authority expanded powers, including the ability to prosecute cyber offences and seize digital assets.
Mr Braimah acknowledged the legitimate concerns around cybercrime and digital misinformation, but cautioned that the country’s response must be both measured and democratic.
“I think that as a country it is right for us to be concerned about the evolution of technology and, of course, the benefits that come with it and also the challenges that we can have,” he said.
“We certainly should be concerned about crimes that are often perpetrated online. We have to be concerned about situations where people use digital platforms to incite violence. We have had communal violence in this country where, if you ask those involved, they would tell you that the influence of social media in inflaming the conflict has been significant.”
He added that while misinformation and disinformation present a growing global challenge, no country has yet found the perfect formula for addressing them without infringing on freedoms of expression and privacy.
“It is important that as a country we take steps to see how we address some of these challenges,” he said.
“The whole question about mis- and disinformation is a phenomenon that is receiving global attention, and nobody has yet identified the most appropriate responses to it.”