Ghana has signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi, Vietnam, joining what UN Secretary-General António Guterres described as a historic multilateral effort to combat digital threats that now cost the global economy an estimated $10.5 trillion annually.
The treaty, adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024 after five years of negotiations, establishes the first universal framework for investigating and prosecuting crimes committed online, from ransomware and financial fraud to non-consensual sharing of intimate images and online exploitation of vulnerable groups.
Ghana’s delegation to the signing ceremony on October 25, 2025, was led by Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Samuel Nartey George, who delivered the country’s statement reaffirming its commitment to international cooperation in fighting cybercrime. By the ceremony’s first day, 65 nations had signed, though the final count reached at least 71 countries, including Western democracies like Australia and the Czech Republic.
Director-General of Ghana’s Criminal Investigations Department, Lydia Yaako Donkor, described the signing as a milestone in the global campaign to combat cyber threats that transcend borders. She emphasized that the convention would enhance Ghana’s ability to collaborate internationally, access digital evidence more effectively, and equip law enforcement agencies with advanced tools to investigate and prevent complex cybercrimes.
“For Ghana, this Convention strengthens our ability to collaborate internationally, access digital evidence more effectively, and enhance law enforcement capacity to investigate and prevent complex cybercrimes,” Donkor said. “It is a powerful step toward protecting citizens, businesses, and institutions in our digital ecosystem.”
The timing is significant for Ghana, which lost over GH₵19 million to cybercrimes in the first nine months of 2025 alone. Officials believe the convention will provide critical support for capacity-building, technical assistance, and real-time cooperation channels, particularly valuable for developing countries in the Global South.
However, Ghana’s embrace of international cybercrime cooperation comes as the country faces intense domestic controversy over its draft Cybersecurity Amendment Bill 2025, which critics say threatens civil liberties under the guise of digital security.
The Ministry of Communications released the proposed amendments on October 1 for public consultation, setting an October 24 deadline for feedback. Since then, social media platforms have erupted with concerns that the legislation could enable state surveillance and suppress online dissent rather than simply address cybercrime.
Section 20B of the proposed amendments grants the Director-General, Deputy Director-General, and authorized officers of the Cyber Security Authority powers of police officers, including arrest, search, and seizure, along with the same rights, protections, and immunities conferred on police officers. Critics warn this blurs the line between cybersecurity regulation and criminal law enforcement.
Digital rights advocates have raised particular concerns about provisions allowing warrantless inspections, asset freezes for up to 180 days without judicial review, and broad definitions of cyberbullying that could criminalize ordinary speech. Sections 67A and 67B criminalize cyberbullying, harassment, and cyberstalking with prison terms up to ten years for offensive, rude, or obscene communications.
Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, declared on Monday that the Minority in Parliament will fiercely resist the bill’s passage, describing it as dangerous and a potential tool for silencing dissent. Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, he said the Minority caucus is united in opposition and will use every legal and parliamentary avenue to prevent its enactment in current form.
“I think it’s a very dangerous encroachment into the area of free speech,” Oppong Nkrumah said. “The government needs to tread cautiously, and I am hopeful that when the consultations start, the government will see wisdom in backtracking and ensuring that, instead of seeking to further criminalise speech, even the remnant laws on criminalisation of speech should be repealed.”
He warned that under the proposed law, anyone saying something in a WhatsApp or social media group that is considered false or untoward could face up to ten years in prison, a provision he linked to earlier remarks by President John Dramani Mahama about tracking IP addresses of individuals who post hate comments online.
The bill also extends the Cyber Security Authority’s reach into artificial intelligence, blockchain, Internet of Things, and quantum computing, mandating national certification standards for these emerging technologies. While supporters view this as forward-looking recognition that Ghana’s digital economy needs regulation, skeptics see techno-bureaucratic sprawl that could stifle innovation.
Section 31 amendments would strengthen the Communications Fund through multiple revenue streams, including 12 percent of the communications service tax and nine percent corporate tax annually. Critics argue these open-ended powers could impose heavy financial obligations on digital service providers, startups, and fintech firms, effectively deterring investment and creating an uneven digital economy controlled by the state.
Minister Sam George has engaged with critics on social media platform X, urging them to read the bill carefully and noting his ministry is working on 14 new bills simultaneously. He indicated the government would conduct in-person engagement sessions with stakeholders and emphasized that the amendments aim to address emerging cyber threats facing Ghana’s strategic sectors and defense infrastructure.
The Ministry maintains that the amendments are intended to safeguard Ghana’s cyberspace and protect citizens from online abuse and cybercrime, not to suppress free speech. However, the bill’s broad wording mirrors similar legislation in Nigeria and Kenya, where anti-cyberbullying laws have been used to silence critics and intimidate journalists.
Ghana’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression, and the country has made significant strides in media freedom over the years. Under former President Kufuor, Ghana repealed the Criminal and Seditious Libel Laws, and later passed the Right to Information Act under President Akufo-Addo, both aimed at strengthening freedom of expression.
The challenge now facing policymakers is balancing the imperative to secure cyberspace with the duty to protect civil liberties in an increasingly digital democracy. No one disputes Ghana’s need for stronger cybersecurity, particularly given the millions drained from the economy by online fraud and the damage to the country’s reputation abroad.
The Cyber Security Authority, established in 2020, has built commendable public awareness and infrastructure. The 2025 amendment, however, would transform it from a guardian of cyber hygiene into a quasi-security agency with sweeping control over how digital life is policed, taxed, and regulated.
By signing the UN Convention against Cybercrime, Ghana has positioned itself within the first cohort of African states aligning with a global rules-based approach to cyber governance. The treaty will now move to domestic processes for ratification and incorporation into national legal and institutional structures, requiring parliamentary approval.
Whether Ghana can successfully navigate international cybercrime cooperation while protecting domestic civil liberties remains an open question. The answer may depend on how seriously the government takes concerns raised during the public consultation period and whether sufficient oversight mechanisms are built into both the domestic legislation and the implementation of international commitments.
The contrast between Ghana’s international posture and domestic debate highlights a broader tension facing many developing democracies: how to build robust digital defenses without sacrificing the very freedoms that make democratic societies worth protecting. As one legal analyst put it, the question is whether these reforms represent visionary foresight or authoritarian creep, and the outcome will depend entirely on oversight.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
