The Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has announced that the Minority in Parliament will vigorously oppose the passage of the Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, describing it as a dangerous piece of legislation that could be exploited to suppress free speech and dissent.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, October 27, the former Information Minister declared that the Minority caucus is united in its resistance and will employ every available legal and parliamentary tool to block the bill in its current form.
“As a member of the Minority engaging the sentiments within our caucus, I am clear that if this finds its way onto the floor, there will be fierce resistance.”
Mr Oppong Nkrumah stated.
“I am very sure that the Minority will employ every legal avenue available to ensure that these draft provisions do not become part of the laws of the Republic of Ghana.”
Mr Oppong Nkrumah cautioned that the proposed amendments pose grave threats to civil liberties, particularly freedom of expression and civic activism.
“It is dangerous. Today, you may think it doesn’t affect you. Tomorrow, when they are using this law to put you in jail for up to 10 years because you wrote something, then you’ll realise that this advocacy that we are doing is in your interest,” he warned.
The Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to update the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), to strengthen Ghana’s digital defence mechanisms, tackle emerging online threats, and expand the enforcement powers of state agencies.
However, critics argue that the bill’s broad and ambiguous provisions could be used to target journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens, potentially criminalising online expression and dissenting opinions.
Civil society organisations, digital rights advocates, and the minority in Parliament have raised red flags over the bill, warning that it could become a weapon of censorship under the guise of cyber protection.
Groups such as the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the Internet Society (Ghana Chapter) have called for the withdrawal or revision of contentious sections that could infringe on privacy and free expression rights guaranteed under Ghana’s Constitution.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, which is sponsoring the bill, has defended the proposed amendments, insisting that they are designed to strengthen Ghana’s cybersecurity architecture and protect citizens from online fraud, cyberbullying, and digital exploitation.
The ministry maintains that the legislation is not intended to gag citizens but to ensure that Ghana keeps pace with global cybersecurity standards while protecting national interests.
The Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is currently before Parliament’s Communications Committee for detailed scrutiny. Public consultations are expected to continue in the coming weeks before the bill is presented to the full House for debate and possible passage.
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