Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho has assured the public of the legislature’s commitment to ensuring that individual rights to privacy are not abused, especially, with the introduction of the Interception of Postal Packet and Telecommunications Messages Bill, 2015.

The Bill, popularly known among the Ghanaian populace as the ‘Spy Bill’ is currently before Parliament for consideration and approval.

The House has, accordingly, placed a publication in the media inviting memorandum from the public on the Bill.

Even before the House will discuss its content, there has been hue and cry over it; with a cross section of the populace entertaining fears that the Bill, when passed into law, will allow the State to invade their privacy.

The public is also worried about the intent of the Bill, which aspects seek to counter terrorism and money laundering when there are existing legislations that deal with them as well as others.

However, the Speaker in his closing remarks to the august House for the end of the First Meeting of Parliament, 2016, which was read on his behalf by his First Deputy- Ebo Barton-Odro- urged the public not to harbor any fear in them since the legislature will work in an open manner to protect their interest while safeguarding national security.

“As Speaker of Parliament, I am fully aware of the Provisions in Article 18 of the 1992 Constitution and other enactments which guarantees the protection of a person’s right to privacy including non-interference in his correspondence or communications except in accordance with the law as may be necessary in a free, fair, democratic society for public safety and economic well-being of the country, as well as for the prevention of disorder and crime”.

“What is useful in considering this Bill is for this august House to navigate the fine contours on the populace’s constitutional legislative needs to establish a delicate balance between the individual rights to privacy vis-a-vis the rights of the public to live in safe and secure environment devoid of fear or crime”, he noted.

He added, “I would like to reiterate my commitment and that of the leadership of this House to assuring that, in addition to pre-legislative steps that has already been taken, this House will carry out its task of scrutinizing the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages Bill, 2015, in an open and transparent manner, so that all stakeholders and members of the public will be given an opportunity within our rules to raise issues of concern and make input to the work of the House so that we can have a satisfactory and wholesome legislation on the prevention and suppression of crime in the national interest”.

The ‘Spy Bill’ is seeking to enact a legislation for the purpose of fighting crime, suppressing organized crime including money laundering, terrorism, and narcotic trafficking and identity theft.

It is generally for the protection of national security.