Popular Ghanaian artiste Shatta Wale has called on President John Dramani Mahama to ensure that any attempt to regulate harmful conduct on social media does not undermine the right of Ghanaians to express their views.
The artiste, known in private life as Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., made the appeal in an open letter to the President following comments Mahama made about misinformation and insults on TikTok and other social media platforms.
President Mahama raised the issue during a Town Hall Meeting with members of the Ghanaian community in New York, where he also acknowledged the challenge of regulating new media without interfering with freedom of expression.
Responding to the concerns, Shatta Wale said Ghana needs a framework that can deal with serious online misconduct while drawing a clear line between abuse and legitimate public discourse.
He argued that the problem predates social media, saying public figures and other members of society have long faced unverified allegations and ridicule through various forms of commentary.
“As a creative who has spent many years as the subject of unverified allegations and public ridicule, I believe this culture did not begin with social media.”
According to him, the growth of digital platforms has simply made the problem more visible and widespread because individuals can now reach large audiences instantly with little difficulty.
Shatta Wale said the consequences are no longer limited to entertainers, noting that traditional leaders, businesspeople, journalists, public officials and ordinary citizens can all become targets.
He acknowledged the constitutional protection of freedom of speech and media freedom but said those protections should not be used to justify threats, harassment or the knowing publication of damaging falsehoods.
Among his proposals is a call for Parliament, the Judiciary, security agencies, media institutions and civil society to develop a clearly defined legal framework for serious and proven online misconduct.
He said such measures should be subject to due process and independent judicial oversight.
At the same time, Shatta Wale stressed that the framework must protect criticism, journalism, satire and political expression.
“No citizen should be punished for criticising a President, public official or public figure,” he stated.
The musician also wants social media companies operating in Ghana to be engaged in efforts to address the problem.
He proposed strengthening account verification by building on Ghana’s existing Ghana Card and SIM registration system. He further suggested that platforms should respond to lawful, court-ordered requests seeking the identities of accounts involved in proven cases of harassment or defamation.
However, he cautioned against making anonymity a requirement for people who simply want to express their views.
On possible sanctions, Shatta Wale suggested that Parliament could consider proportionate penalties if specific forms of online conduct are made criminal offences.
He proposed that custodial sentences, where considered necessary, should not exceed one month and should focus on deterrence and correction.
The artiste also raised concerns about the possibility of new legislation inadvertently reviving criminal libel, which Ghana repealed in 2001.
“Any new measure be carefully designed so as not to reintroduce criminal libel in another form,” he said.
Shatta Wale believes legislation alone would not be enough. He called for public education to accompany any legal reforms so that social media users better understand responsible online conduct.
He also urged the government to involve representatives of the creative industry early in the process, arguing that people within the sector have experienced the effects of public commentary and online abuse first-hand.
The letter was also copied to the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, the Minister for the Interior, the Inspector-General of Police and the National Media Commission.
Shatta Wale said his proposal was ultimately about finding a balance between accountability and freedom.
“The goal is not to silence citizens, but to restore responsibility to our public conversation while preserving the freedoms on which our democracy stands,” he wrote.
He ended the letter by making himself available to participate in the national discussion on how Ghana can respond to online abuse while safeguarding the democratic freedoms protected by the Constitution.
Read Shatta Wale’s letter to President Mahama below.
