President John Mahama says social media users who engage in hate speech will be tracked through their IP addresses and sanctioned under the law when arrested for such offenses.
According to him, on some WhatsApp platforms and TikTok commentaries, there is a growing trend of hate speech and incitement to violence, which he described as criminal.
He argued that some of the incendiary statements made in the Bawku situation are fueling tensions, making people hate each other and view one another as enemies.
“If you go some of the whatsapp plaforms, or you go to some of the commentaries on Tiktok and others we have what we called hate speeches incitment to voilence. Those are criminals despite the fact we have remove the criminal libel laws, there are some laws that make such people accountable,” he said.
He cautioned that individuals who engage in this practices on social media will not go scot free but faces prosecution under the criminal code for inciting violence and disturbing the peace.
“So I’m sending a signal to Ghanaians that we can find those of you doing hate speeches and things, we will use your IP address and traced you and we will deal with you under the criminal code for inciting voilence and disturbance of the peace,” he said on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
He explained that if the sector is not regulated, it could push the nation into conflict. “Becaue if we don’t regulate that sector it can lead this nation to war.”
President Mahama further proposed that “But i belive that beyond that we must start making regualtions for this new media because is unregulated.”
However, he noted that in the meantime, the National Bureau has been given full authority to clamp down on offenders to face the full rigors of the law.
