President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has expressed strong reservations about the proposed Cybersecurity Amendment Bill, warning that its current form poses a threat to press freedom and the public interest.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Mr. Dwumfour questioned the government’s haste in advancing the bill without broad stakeholder consultation, describing the process as rushed and potentially detrimental.
“Why are we in such a rush? If we want to protect the cyberspace, we must do it well and with broad consultation. The people the law is being made for should be part of the process,” he said.
He criticised the limited time allocated for stakeholders to submit memoranda, adding that the bill has not even reached Cabinet yet.
“We need at least a three-month extension. The current timeline is unfair and undemocratic,” he stated.
Mr. Dwumfour cautioned that certain provisions in the bill could be used to silence journalists and restrict press freedom, stressing that the GJA would resist any legislation that undermines the constitutional right to free expression.
“The bill, in its current form, is not in anyone’s interest and has the potential to gag the media. Anything that threatens press freedom, we will resist,” he affirmed.
He urged Parliament and the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to adopt a more inclusive and consultative approach to ensure that the law safeguards cyberspace without infringing on citizens’ rights.
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