President John Dramani Mahama has mandated the National Signal Bureau (NSB) to monitor and track individuals who make derogatory comments and incite violence on social media.
Addressing journalists at the Presidential Media Encounter at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, he explained that the proliferation of social media has given the rise to a “new crop of journalists” who often use hate speech to comment on national issues, which is deemed as criminal.
“We have a new crop of journalists who anybody with a phone and a camera can report news or comment on national issues, now the point is who holds these people responsible?
“If you go to some of the WhatsApp platforms or if you go to some of the commentaries in the Tiktoks and others, we have what we call hate speech, incitement to violence, those are criminal, despite the fact that we have removed the criminal libel laws,” he said.
He continued: “There are some laws that makes such people accountable because if we don’t regulate that sector, it can lead this nation to war,” he stated.
President Mahama referenced Bawku, Gonja and Brefo conflicts noting that social media was exploited to disseminate hateful messages that invited violence and animosity among people.
He cautioned that the NSB is now equipped with technology to track anyone who promotes violence on social media, using their Internet Protocol (IP) address, regardless of their location.
“This falls in the ambit of the National Signal Bureau, and so they now have the technology to use your IP number and find you wherever you are.
“So I am sending a signal to Ghanaians that we can find you, you those doing hate speech and things, we will use your IP number, we will trace you and when we trace you, we will deal with you under the criminal code for inciting violence and disturbance of peace,” he warned.
He emphasized that the NSB will take action against individuals who engage in hate speech, and they will be brought to justice under the criminal code.
