PRINPAG warns Government’s Anti-Misinformation Bill could threaten free speech, democracy
In a statement issued in Accra on Thursday, PRINPAG questioned the necessity, scope, and intent of the new bill.
The Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) has voiced serious concerns over the government’s proposed Misinformation, Disinformation, Hate Speech and Publication of Other Information Bill (MDHI), cautioning that it could erode freedom of expression and democratic values if enacted in its current form.
In a statement issued in Accra on Thursday, PRINPAG acknowledged the legitimate concerns over misinformation and hate speech in both traditional and digital media but questioned the necessity, scope, and intent of the new bill.
According to PRINPAG, Ghana already possesses a robust legal framework to regulate speech and uphold responsible communication — citing the 1992 Constitution, the Defamation Act, the Criminal Offences Act, and the Electronic Communications Act. The Association further noted that the media ecosystem is already guided by ethical codes from the National Media Commission (NMC), the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), and PRINPAG itself.
The Association argued that Ghana’s real challenge lies in the uneven and politically selective enforcement of these existing laws, which has often undermined media independence and public trust in state institutions.
PRINPAG warned that the proposed MDHI Bill, as currently drafted, could easily be weaponised by future governments to silence dissent and control public discourse. It stressed that any attempt to legislate on media content must be carefully designed to resist misuse and protect Ghana’s democratic freedoms.
While confirming that it is still reviewing the bill’s contents, the Association called on government to suspend further action until a comprehensive stakeholder consultation is undertaken with media practitioners, civil society groups, and legal experts.
“Rather than introducing legislation that risks undermining the freedoms we have fought hard to secure, we must strengthen the existing frameworks and institutions that already guarantee those freedoms,” PRINPAG urged.
The proposed MDHI Bill, according to government sources, aims to combat false information and hate speech. However, with the draft yet to be made public, civil society organisations and media watchdogs are warning that a poorly conceived law could damage Ghana’s global reputation as one of Africa’s strongest defenders of press freedom.
