Don’t ‘Nail’ IGP Over Social Media Ban

I would have call on all Ghanaians to lend our support to the Inspector General of Police to ban social media on Election Day to forestall any security threat if he said so at all.

However, on my recent monitoring of the conversations of the Director Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Cephas Arthur with the Ghanaian media I am convinced that the security boss never said he would ban social media the mother of our beloved whatsapp and Facebook.

From the spokesperson of the police point I gather that the man advised Ghanaians against the abuse of the social media based on how it could affect internal security if nothing is done about it now.

Therefore I see no reason why any peace-loving Ghanaian and people with stake in Ghana should lambast the police ‘capo’ with experience in police operations including handling of security matters before ,during and, the aftermath of the declaration of the 2016 general elections in this country.

Again, here is a man who was fully instrumental on the peace and security of this country in that election sofor him to identity a possible ban of social media as one of the options in the Election Day should not generate any controversy at all.

I think he should be seen as an authority when it comes to the security of this country. His word on the peace before, during, and after 2012 election must be treated with due respect it deserves.

For me, once IGP Dr. John Kudalor has demonstrated his readiness to lead the police administration to ensure peaceful elections in the 2016 all doubts and fears must be put to rest.

I agree with him, once he did the not state he has the authority to ban social media.

Let’s us also take note of the fact that some abuse of the social media in Ghana includes how private accounts of whatsapp, Facebook and, other social platforms have been used to spread falsehood and to defraud a lot of Ghanaians.

Sometimes we laugh over its but it could be dangerous if a social media personality with large following is allowed to put out any misinformation in Public domain.

I believe it’ is high time we stopped the pretenses and rather supported the Inspector General of police call on Ghanaians to stop the abuse of social media especially on the election day for the long lasting peace we so desire.

However, if Ghanaians are worried by thinking that the police would want to use that for any other purpose then we should rather approach him from appropriate quarters than to distant ourselves and interpret the statement from our own perspective.

I think also that the man has considered the danger of the social media on election with regards to the immediacy with which information gets to audience and lack of editing of contents coupled with invasion of people’s privacy associated with the usage that medium before advising us on the matter.

Furthermore, it would interest the public to know that on social media people report their dreams and nightmares for public consumptions just as they had it in their closet. It is this same social media that has projected a number of pornographic materials in the public domain which we all speak against.

In view of this lets us be mindful that prevention of crime is core function of the police in times like this.

Fellow Ghanaians, lets support the IGP for him to think outside the box by advising us on the responsible use of the social media to ensure security before and after election 2016.

David Fianko-Okyere
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