Ghana takes steps to end child pornography on social media

It is a criminal offense punishable by a 10-year jail term to distribute or circulate child pornography on social media in Ghana.

According to Ghana's Electronic Transactions Act 2008 (Act 772), it is a criminal offense to possess or distribute videos of minors engaged in sexual activities or their nude pictures on any of the social media platforms.

The Act states specifically that anyone who even possesses and publishes such images or videos of persons below the age of 18 years commits a crime punishable by law, a private weekly, The Weekend Finder, reported here Friday.

The publication has been necessitated by the upsurge on social media of such videos and pictures of minors engaged in sexual activities for users of social media applications like Whatsapp in Ghana.

The state-run Daily Graphic Friday reported the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection as having strongly condemned a sodomizing video of on social media.

Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Nana Oye Lithur condemned the video floating on social media, saying it was unlawful.

"It is unlawful and constitutes engagement in child pornography," she fumed, adding that the ministry had reported the matter to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVSSU) of the Ghana Police Service to track down the culprits.

"We urge the National Media Commission and the Ghana Journalists Association to enforce regulations on the protection of children's rights in the country," she told the Daily Graphic.

Oye Lithur hinted that her Ministry would work with the Attorney General's to amend the Children's Act to strengthen laws on criminalizing child pornography and protecting children from exposure to pornographic material.

Francis Xavier Sosu, a lawyer, told the media that circulating such material violated the Children's Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Children.

He, however, suggested that the police must upgrade technology to be able to determine the original source of such videos.

The police administration acknowledges the danger of upsurge of social media as Ghana heads towards the November general election and even hinted a possible ban. 
Source:XINHUA