Government Will Regulate Indecent Social Media Content - President

By Esther Tagoe

President Nana Akufo-Addo on Thursday said his government would institute regulations to guide and control indecent social media content.

He said regulating indecent communication was essential and could help control content posted on social media, which would also avoid denigrating Ghanaian societal norms and values.

The President noted this would instill some level of sanity and decency in the way information was disseminated in the advent of social media and technology.

President Akuffo-Addo said this when he paid a courtesy call on Osagyefo Oseadeyo Agyemang Badu II, the Paramount Chief of Dormaa Traditional Area on the final day of a two-day working visit to the Brong- Ahafo Region. He had been to Goaso in the Brong-Ahafo on the first day to launch the 'Planting for Food and Jobs' initiative.

The visit was also to thank the people of Dormaa for voting him into power.

The President was responding to a remark made by the Omanhene to the effect that many Ghanaians were deliberately employing social media to indiscriminately and unreservedly malign, castigate, abuse and destroy the hard-won reputation of some highly respected and prominent personalities in the country.

President Akuffo-Addo expressed his government's preparedness to cooperate and work with traditional rulers irrespective of their political, ethnic and religious inclinations.

He reiterated his government's commitment and resolve to fight the galamsey menace and called for a concerted effort towards its total elimination noting that it was extremely crucial and vital to safeguard and preserve the country's natural resources for posterity.

He added that although the resources bequeathed to him by his predecessor was meagre and his government was determined to prudently find ways of managing and generating resources to prosecute Ghana's development agenda.

Touching on the emergence and activities of vigilante groups, he said people who committed criminal offences should be made to face the full rigours of the law irrespective of their status in society.

"Nana, even if you should go against the law you will be punished. Because the law is not a respector of persons", he stated. He indicated that he would continue to seek the advice of the country's former surviving Presidents and hold periodic meetings with them to draw on their valuable experiences and wisdom to shape his government. "This will not be nine-day wonder", he added.

The President tasked the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister to work with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to ensure that a veterinary laboratory facility was provided to help poultry farmers in Dormaa to diagnose diseases of live birds and for research purposes.

"In the same manner, I will work to find solutions to taxes on medicines for poultry and construct cocoa roads", he emphasised.

On victims in Dormaa-Ahenkro whose households were struck with severe rainstorm in March causing extensive damage to property and several injuries, he tasked the Regional Director of NADMO to work together and help provide assistance to the victims.

The President expressed his determination to fulfil all campaign promises including executing and implementing the one district one factory agenda, free SHS policy and restoration of nurses training allowance.

Osagyefo Oseadeyo Agyemang Badu II, Paramount Chief of the Dormaa traditional area commended President Akufo-Addo for his recent initiative to seek the advice and consult the former Presidents of the land.

He described it as unprecedented in the history of the nation and asked him to make it a routine occurrence. He appealed to the President to continue with the good works started by his predecessor in the provision of infrastructure for Dormaa including roads, development of a University Campus in Dormaa, and to complete the Community Day SHS in Danyame. Osagyefo Oseadeyo Agyemang Badu II, pledged his full support as well as that of his subjects towards the success of Akuffo-Addo administration.

Read Full Story