IGP can’t ban social media – Supt Cephas Arthur

Inspector General of Police (IGP) cannot ban social media.
According to him, there is no law that mandates the law enforcement body to do so. Mr John Kudalor earlier this year indicated that if need be, the police administration would block social media on the eve of, and on, elections day. Many Ghanaians found his intention as a threat to the promotion of Ghana's developing democracy and an infringement on the rights of the people to freely express themselves
The topic came up again when the IGP interacted with some Muslim leaders in Accra on Monday October 24. The IGP maintained that the option to “contain” social media would be triggered should the
necessity arise. “We are going to put in place some measures to contain social media,” he said. For him, the duty of the police is to ensure Ghana
emerges out of the elections in “peace and not in pieces”.
But Supt. Cephas Arthur in an interview explained that as a security agency mandated to ensure public security and safety, should the need arise, the police can recommend to the president of Ghana for a ban, but the service cannot carry out that action unilaterally. He believes comments by the IGP about containing social media had been misconstrued by a section of the public. “Legally, we do not have that power to shut down social media but we can make an input as to which direction we should all take. The IGP can make a suggestion to the president and it will be up to him to take it or otherwise but he can’t ban
social media” he stated.