President John Dramani Mahama has raised strong concerns about the rising trend of hate speech on digital platforms, warning that it poses a serious threat to national unity, peace, and security.
Speaking at the official opening of the 2025 National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Accra, the President condemned the use of cyberspace to stoke ethnic division and called for decisive action by the state and its institutions.
“People intentionally post messages that will pit one ethnic group against the other. That is becoming very commonplace, and it’s something that our Cyber Security Authority and allied agencies must look at seriously,” Mahama said.
He warned that hate speech, along with other digital threats such as online scams, cyber fraud, and identity theft, must not be allowed to undermine the social fabric or democratic values of the country.
Romance Scams and Insider Threats Under Scrutiny
Beyond hate speech, the President revealed that authorities are dealing with a growing number of romance scams, where criminals lure victims online under the guise of romantic relationships and exploit them financially. He noted that Ghana is actively collaborating with international partners to track down and extradite perpetrators when evidence is established.
“Anybody involved in romance scams, whether you are a foreigner or a Ghanaian citizen, we will hand you over to be tried and punished accordingly,” he stated.
John Mahama also exposed the existence of insider threats within financial institutions. Some individuals, he noted, secure employment in banks and use their privileged access to exploit systems from within. In collaboration with the Bank of Ghana and cybersecurity agencies, several of these insiders have already been arrested and swiftly sanctioned.
Cybercrime Threat Is Real and Growing
Delivering his keynote address under the theme “Building a Safe, Informed, and Accountable Digital Space,” the President described the dual nature of digitalisation. While digital tools empower growth, inclusion, and innovation, they also create new vulnerabilities.
Citing data from the April 2024 Global Financial Stability Report by the International Monetary Fund, the President explained that one in every five reported cyber incidents globally over the past two decades has targeted the financial sector. These incidents have resulted in losses exceeding twelve billion US dollars. Since 2020 alone, cyber-related losses are estimated to have surpassed two and a half billion US dollars.
He cautioned that Ghana is not immune to these global trends. The country has recorded increasing incidents of phishing, identity theft, and mobile money fraud that hurt both individuals and businesses.
Flagship Initiatives to Strengthen Digital Economy
To combat the rising threat of cybercrime and to build resilience, President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to making cybersecurity a central pillar of Ghana’s national development agenda. He outlined four key initiatives currently being rolled out.
First, he mentioned the One Million Coders Programme, launched in April this year, which aims to train one million young Ghanaians in digital skills such as coding, software development, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Pilot projects have already commenced in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, and Upper East Regions.
The president also spoke about the Digital Jobs Initiative, a public-private partnership aimed at creating sustainable technology-driven employment. This includes the establishment of regional digital centres to support business process outsourcing and promote innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital entrepreneurship, and cyber defence. A key project under this initiative is the redevelopment of the Dawa ICT Park into a world-class centre of excellence.
Additionally, the President introduced the Fintech Growth Fund, a fifty million US dollar support programme for Ghanaian startups in the digital finance sector. The aim is to encourage local innovators to develop home-grown solutions that can also be scaled across the continent.
Moreover, Mahama highlighted the government’s 24-Hour Economy Agenda, which, beyond being a strategy for job creation, is focused on strengthening digital resilience. Around-the-clock operations in public and private sectors require secure, stable systems — and robust cybersecurity frameworks to support uninterrupted services.
Institutional and Global Partnerships
In line with the Cybersecurity Act 2020, Act 1038, Mr John Dramani Mahama also inaugurated the Joint Cyber Security Committee (JCCC) — a national coordinating body made up of representatives from Ghana’s various security and intelligence agencies. The JCCC is mandated to work closely with the Cyber Security Authority to ensure coherence, coordination, and proactive response to cyber threats.
He further announced that Ghana, already a signatory to the Malabo and Budapest Conventions on Cybercrime, will ratify and sign the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime this October. The treaty will equip the country with enhanced tools to investigate cyberattacks, prosecute cybercriminals, and safeguard critical information infrastructure. Ghana has also adopted the Palmol Process Code of Practice, which seeks to regulate the use of commercial cyber intrusion technologies through strict licensing and product certification.
The Role of Citizens: Awareness is the First Line of Defence
Despite all these high-level efforts, Mr. Mahama emphasised that ordinary Ghanaians remain the country’s first line of defence in the fight against cyber threats. He stressed the importance of nationwide digital literacy and vigilance, noting that “a single click” can lead to devastating consequences.
Through school-based education, community training, and nationwide campaigns, the government aims to ensure that everyone — from students and farmers to bankers and traders — understands the risks of the digital world and how to stay protected.
