Minister for Communication, Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has clarified that the proposed National Information Technology Authority (NITA) Bill has neither been passed nor approved by government, describing the circulating document as only a preliminary “zero draft.”
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement in Accra, the Minister dismissed reports suggesting that the government had already enacted or begun implementing the legislation.
“That is so far away from the fact and the truth,” Mr George stated.
According to him, the document currently in circulation merely represents the earliest stage of the legislative drafting process and does not carry any legal effect.
He disclosed that although the proposed bill has gone through several revisions by legal teams, it has still not received final approval from the Ministry.
“The fifth iteration has still not even been approved by the ministry,” he explained.
Mr George further clarified that the NITA Bill is not among the Cabinet memoranda currently under consideration and has not yet been submitted to Cabinet for approval.
He explained that before the legislation can become law, it must undergo several stages, including ministerial review, Cabinet consideration, scrutiny by the Attorney-General’s Department, and parliamentary approval through clause-by-clause deliberations.
Touching on Ghana’s existing ICT legal framework, the Minister referenced Acts 771 and 772, passed in 2008, which currently govern the sector.
While acknowledging that the laws were progressive at the time, he noted that rapid technological advancement over the last 18 years has rendered portions of the legislation outdated and in need of reform.
According to Mr George, the proposed NITA Bill seeks to transform the National Information Technology Agency into a fully-fledged regulatory authority with expanded powers to license ICT companies, certify professionals, establish digital standards, and regulate technology procurement within public institutions.
The proposed legislation also seeks to establish an ICT tribunal to adjudicate disputes and introduce sanctions for offences including fraud, unlicensed ICT operations, and data breaches.
