Razak Kojo Opoku, Founder and President of CVM
The founder and president of Concerned Voters’ Movement (CVM), Razak Kojo Opoku, has asked government to enact a regulatory framework to control pornography on the internet.
He noted that most children are growing up with the internet being a central part of their lives, saying they must not be allowed to be exposed to the many sexually explicit content on the various online platforms.
He added that with the internet now being a part of the children, parents must also assume the responsibility of guiding their children on its usage to ensure that they are not corrupted by the many negatives on the internet.
Collective responsibility
In an interview with the media, he noted that the fight against online pornography should be a collective responsibility calling on all stakeholders to show interest. He added that this is for the collective interest of the kids and the country’s future.
“In my candid view, this needs a collective effort between parents and the Government to stem unguarded access to the internet pornographic materials by our future generation,” he said.
Mr Razak Opoku acknowledged that technology brings many benefits to the country’s development, especially in recent times when Covid-19 hit the world unexpectedly and truncated the educational calendar and brick-and-mortar teaching.
“The internet has been good, maintaining our children in virtual schooling and online classes, which was an opportunity for the children who had unlimited and uncontrollable access to the internet.
“But nobody was regulating or monitoring what they were or are watching now on their smartphones. Whatever they were or are watching on the internet largely influences their lives. The content on the internet is shaping their lives which could be bad or good,” he said.
He called on the government to speed up action in putting measures in place to regulate the content of the internet in Ghana.
He said in the United States, the United Kingdom and some Arab countries, laws have been enacted to regulate content on the internet and to prevent child pornography.
He noted that the use of the internet to access and distribute pornography is a major threat to the African youth and so requires immediate action.
