FOCAP Vice President of Research, Enock Agyepong, has been named National Pundit of the Year at the 2026 Foklex Media Awards, using his acceptance speech to raise concerns about what he described as the increasing “criminalization of free speech” in Ghana through the Cybersecurity Act.
According to him, it is troubling that the Criminal Libel Law, which was repealed in 2001, appears to have resurfaced in another form through the country’s cyber laws introduced in 2020.
He stressed that Ghana’s legal system already provides civil means for addressing issues related to free speech, making any attempt to criminalize speech unnecessary.
“If we are truly practicing democracy and being led by a tolerant President, then citizens must be allowed the freedom to speak,” he stated. “But if we are not prepared for the consequences that come with democracy, then we might as well criminalize speech and return to the military era where security agencies were used to intimidate citizens.”
Enock Agyepong further noted that Ghana has made significant progress in media freedom and democratic governance, warning that any attempt to gag free expression could threaten the very essence of the country’s democracy.
He also expressed appreciation to the organizers of the Foklex Media Awards and commended the scheme for promoting competitiveness within the media industry.
The award-winning pundit thanked everyone who voted for him and dedicated the honour to FOCAP, which he described as the strongest Creative Arts advocacy group in Ghana.
