New media association raises concerns over misinformation bill

The General Secretary of the New Media Association of Ghana, Jibriel Suliah Jagbesie, says the Association supports regulation of the digital media space but has serious concerns about the government’s proposed Misinformation and Disinformation Bill.

In an interview, Mr. Jagbesie said members welcome efforts to bring structure to the fast-growing digital media industry but fear the current draft bill is vague and open to abuse.

“We are happy to be regulated; that’s not the problem, our concern is the policing and accountability aspects. Some provisions give authorities too much power without clear guidelines,” he said.

He noted that some clauses could allow officials to penalise content creators or seize their devices without sufficient justification. “If you say I’ve done something wrong and you’re taking my phone, you should be able to clearly explain why. The new draft lacks that clarity, and many of our members are worried,” he noted.

Mr. Jagbesie also criticised the lack of consultation, saying the Association, which represents more than 200 bloggers, photographers, content creators, and online journalists, should have been involved in the drafting process. “When something like this is being developed, we should be part of it,” he stressed.

He further questioned the severity of proposed penalties.

“Even traditional media sometimes make mistakes. Should that mean a five-year prison sentence?” he asked.

Despite the concerns, Mr. Jagbesie acknowledged that the government has been engaging digital media players in other areas, such as digital monetisation initiatives with the Communication Ministry.

“The Minister introduced us to ways to monetize our TikTok and other platforms, which is good. But on this bill, we haven’t been consulted,” he said.

Chairman of Parliament’s Information and Communication Committee, Abdendego Lamangin Bandim, has urged calm, explaining that the bill is still at the consultation stage.

He said the Communication Ministry has opened the process for public input.

“We’re just beginning the process, and the Ministry is leading it,” he said.

“The idea is to present the bill in its current form and allow stakeholders to share their concerns for consideration.”