Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, has rejected claims that the government's ongoing digital legislation process lacks transparency, insisting that extensive stakeholder consultations have been conducted since draft bills were first published.

Mr George said updated versions of the bills have consistently been shared with individuals and groups that submitted concerns, arguing that it is unfair for stakeholders who failed to engage at the initial stages to accuse the ministry of secrecy.

Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, May 30, Mr George said four law firms have been engaged to support the drafting and review process, working alongside technical experts to assess feedback received from stakeholders.

"We receive the input, the technical team reviews it and makes recommendations, after which the lawyers examine the proposals against the Constitution and other legal frameworks before producing a revised draft," he explained.

The minister cited engagements with technology industry leaders, civil society groups and the National Media Commission as evidence of the ministry's openness.

"If you did not raise an issue when the first draft was published and consultations were ongoing, how can you now claim the process has not been transparent?" he questioned.

He revealed that the National Media Commission submitted a memorandum on one of the proposed laws, now known as the Information Integrity and Digital Communications Bill, and that the ministry responded with an updated version after further consultations.

His comments come amid growing public debate over a set of proposed digital governance laws.

Mr George noted that ministry officials, legal advisers and representatives of the National Media Commission have held meetings to discuss concerns raised about the bill, adding that he personally participated in some of the engagements.

"Is this a ministry that is not open? Is this a ministry that is seeking to do something clandestinely?" he asked.

He stressed that the ministry has undertaken multiple rounds of consultations and maintained that the legislative process should not be delayed because some stakeholders are only now expressing concerns about proposals that have been available for months.

Addressing concerns about licensing requirements under the proposed legislation, Mr George said the government's position remains unchanged.

He explained that entities providing services to government institutions would be required to obtain certification from the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), describing it as a standard regulatory requirement rather than a new restriction.

"We have been very clear on that issue. If you offer a service to government, you will need to be licensed and certified by NITA because that is the standard process," he stated.