Vice President for Innovation and Technology at IMANI Africa, Selorm Branttie, has described the Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 as ambiguous and potentially draconian, cautioning that its current form could criminalise ordinary digital behaviour.
Speaking on Joy FM, Mr. Branttie argued that several provisions in the bill are overly broad, making it difficult to clearly distinguish minor online infractions from serious cyber offenses.
“A lot of the lettering for the Cybersecurity Bill, for example, is ambiguous in terms of the kinds of offenses that are being discussed… and the ramifications for you being seen as contravening some of these offences makes them draconian and unsuitable for the society we have today,” he noted.
He pointed out that many Ghanaians use multiple social media accounts for legitimate purposes — including privacy, professional restrictions, or brand management — but could be unfairly targeted under the proposed legislation.
According to him, merging all digital violations into a single category without tiered levels of severity risks excessive application of state power, enabling potential political targeting or suppression of dissent.
“In the wrong hands, this could be used to abuse the personal rights of many individuals and target people perceived as opponents or disliked by those in authority,” he cautioned.
Mr. Branttie urged Parliament to refine definitions in the bill, differentiate offenses by impact, and establish strong oversight mechanisms to ensure proportional enforcement.
He further recommended broad consultations with technical experts, civil society groups, and private sector players to ensure that cyber protections do not come at the expense of digital freedoms.
The Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to update the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), aims to improve Ghana’s response to evolving cyber threats and strengthen security agencies’ enforcement powers. However, digital rights advocates have warned that several proposed amendments may infringe privacy, data protection rights, and freedom of expression if not properly reviewed.
The bill is currently before Parliament’s Communications Committee, with further stakeholder engagements expected in the coming weeks.
