President John Dramani Mahama has called for urgent steps to regulate social media, cautioning that platforms such as TikTok, X, Facebook, and WhatsApp are increasingly being weaponized to promote hate speech, inflame violence, and threaten public officials.
Addressing his first media encounter on Wednesday, September 10, the President observed that the rise of “new media” has blurred the lines of accountability in public communication.
He noted that while traditional media operates within structures that ensure responsibility, “anyone with a phone and camera can now report news or comment on national issues,” a shift that poses serious risks when left unchecked.
Mahama linked the escalation of the Bawku conflict to provocative online commentary, warning that inflammatory posts circulating on social platforms are worsening hostility among communities.
“We can find you, those doing hate speeches… we’ll use your IP numbers, we’ll trace you and deal with you under criminal law,” he cautioned, stressing that regulation is now unavoidable.
The warning comes in the wake of recent arrests connected to online threats against the President and his family.
On August 12, police apprehended Yayra Abiwu, also known as “Akosua Jollof,” after a viral TikTok video in which she allegedly threatened to kill the President and behead the First Lady.
Abiwu, identified as a supporter of the opposition NPP, also mocked the helicopter crash that killed Defence Minister Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, and six others.
Another suspect, Prince Ofori, alias “Fante Comedy,” has also been arrested, with security agencies pursuing others linked to the video.
The police have reiterated that using social media to issue threats or incite violence is a criminal act that will be met with decisive action.
President Mahama emphasized that beyond enforcement, the government will begin developing a regulatory framework for social media platforms, aimed at curbing abuse while safeguarding national peace and security.
