President John Dramani Mahama has emphasised the importance of the Cybersecurity Amendment Bill (2025) and the Misinformation and Disinformation Bill currently before Parliament.
The President of Ghana touched on this matter during his address at the 29th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) awards held in Kumasi on November 8.
“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” he stated in a post on his Facebook page on Monday November 10.
President Mahama cautioned that the same digital tools that have democratised information can also enable hate, defamation, impersonation, and cyberbullying hence, the government’s commitment to addressing this reality responsibly.
He duly acknowledged the concerns raised by the GJA and civil society over the Cybersecurity Amendment Bill (2025) and the Misinformation and Disinformation Bill tabled before Parliament and has assured 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.
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” President Mahama emphasised.
He congratulated Godwin Asediba of Media General Limited and all other journalists who received awards at the 29th GJA Media Awards in Kumasi on Saturday and applauded the Ghana Journalists Association for the innovative decision to move the awards ceremony outside of Accra.
At the ceremony, he reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to a free, safe, and efficient media.
“I will neither sanction nor tolerate any form of intimidation, interference, or attack on journalists. I have also directed the Minister of State for Government Communications and the Minister responsible for National Security to establish a permanent forum for regular engagements between security agencies and the media to help foster mutual respect and prevent incidents” he stated.
