President John Dramani Mahama has clarified that the Cybersecurity Amendment Bill (2025) and the Misinformation and Disinformation Bill are not designed to suppress free speech or expression.
He explained that the proposed laws, which are currently before Parliament for consideration, aim to safeguard Ghanaians and promote truthfulness and credibility in the digital space.
In a Facebook post on Monday, November 10, 2025, President Mahama noted, “One of the issues I addressed at the 29th GJA Awards Ceremony on Saturday was the Cybersecurity Amendment Bill (2025) and the Misinformation and Disinformation Bill currently before Parliament.
“The bills are not designed to restrict free expression. They are meant to safeguard the citizenry and uphold truth in the digital realm.”
President Mahama highlighted that, despite its many benefits, the digital space can also be used to promote harmful behaviour.
He highlighted instances of how people use the digital space to cyberbully, spread misinformation, propagate hate, and incite violence, among other things, reaffirming his government’s commitment to addressing these issues and preventing such occurrences.
“The same digital tools that have democratised information can also enable hate, defamation, impersonation, and cyberbullying. Government is committed to addressing this reality responsibly,” he said.
President Mahama’s affirmation follows concerns raised by several institutions and Ghanaians over the bill, with many arguing that it could threaten free speech.
Critics have called for a review of the bill. However, addressing these concerns, President Mahama assured that they will be properly addressed.
“I recognise that the GJA and civil society have raised some concerns. I assure the two institutions and Ghanaians that their concerns will be addressed transparently and constructively. Our aim is to extend the ethical standards of traditional journalism into the digital space without infringing on constitutional freedoms,” he assured.
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He added, “Freedom of expression does not include the freedom to ruin reputations, threaten lives, or incite violence. The boundary of free speech is speech that endangers peace and human dignity.”
