titutional Lawyer Kwame Adofo has called on the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) to directly engage the actors involved in Ghana’s ongoing debate over freedom of speech, police arrests and media regulation if it wants to contribute to finding a lasting solution.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s morning show in Accra-Tema on Monday, September 28, 2026, Lawyer Adofo said although the MFWA could facilitate discussions and make recommendations, it would have limited ability to influence the situation if the key actors at the centre of the dispute were not part of the engagement.
According to him, discussions aimed at resolving the matter must involve the parties directly affected, rather than relying solely on meetings with other stakeholders.
“The actors are not involved. They have not been invited. Now, this is the challenge,” he said.
Lawyer Adofo argued that the MFWA should first identify the relevant actors and bring them together for a structured dialogue.
He said simply holding meetings, making recommendations and expecting the situation to change would not necessarily address the underlying issues.
He compared the situation to international conflicts, explaining that a third party seeking to facilitate peace between two sides would normally need to bring the parties involved to the negotiating table.
He questioned how a similar approach could succeed in Ghana’s ongoing discussions about media freedom and freedom of expression if the actors directly involved were excluded.
The Constitutional Lawyer stressed that both the police and media actors involved in the dispute should participate in the discussions because they are central to the issues under consideration and would ultimately have to play a role in implementing any agreed solution.
Caution against criminalising speech
Lawyer Adofo also cautioned against allowing the police to become the final authority on what citizens can or cannot say.
He said while the police have a responsibility to enforce the law, determining whether particular statements amount to criminal offences should be subjected to the appropriate legal and judicial processes.
According to him, if police officers begin determining whether particular expressions constitute offences and proceed to arrest individuals based solely on their own interpretation, there is a risk of criminalising speech.
He referred to Article 21 of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, and stressed the need to protect the constitutional right while also addressing abuses through lawful means.
He said the objective should be to find appropriate ways of dealing with harmful or unlawful conduct without unnecessarily restricting legitimate expression.
Call for direct engagement
Lawyer Adofo therefore urged the MFWA and other relevant organisations to move beyond general stakeholder meetings and recommendations and directly engage the actors involved in the dispute.
“Get these actors involved, and tell them to sit down. This is where we are. You have to control. That is where the solution sits,” he said.
He maintained that bringing the relevant actors together for dialogue would be necessary if efforts to address the concerns surrounding freedom of speech, police action and media regulation are to produce a meaningful outcome.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah