Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has urged Ghana to protect freedom of expression by dismantling laws that threaten free speech, insisting that the pursuit of truth must not come at the expense of democratic freedoms.
He has called for the repeal of Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act and Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, warning that their continued use to prosecute journalists and citizens risks creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
Addressing the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards Night on Saturday, November 7, 2026, Afenyo-Markin declared that Ghana must choose truth without tyranny, arguing that criticism, political commentary and even satire should not attract criminal prosecution.
“Our caucus is concerned about the growing use of the so-called ‘fear and panic’ provision in Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act to prosecute citizens and journalists for what they say or publish,” he stated.
He said Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008, had similarly become a tool for pursuing individuals over their online expressions, warning against what he described as the growing criminalisation of speech in the country.
The Minority Leader, however, stressed that freedom of expression must go hand in hand with responsibility, clarifying that his position was not an endorsement of reckless or malicious communication.
He maintained that issues of defamation, libel and false publications could be adequately addressed through civil proceedings, allowing aggrieved persons to seek remedies such as retractions, public apologies and compensation rather than criminal prosecution.
Drawing parallels with Ghana’s democratic reforms, Afenyo-Markin recalled the 2001 repeal of criminal libel and seditious laws under former President John Agyekum Kufuor, describing the decision as a landmark achievement in the country’s media freedom journey.
He warned that retaining Section 208 could create a backdoor for the return of criminal libel, undermining the gains made in strengthening press freedom.
“We must not allow Section 208 to become the back door through which criminal libel returns to Ghana,” he cautioned.
The Minority Leader referenced concerns raised by the Media Foundation for West Africa over what it has described as a creeping criminalisation of speech, insisting that Ghana must resist attempts to silence dissent through the threat of prosecution.
His address was delivered under the theme, “Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age”.
