Stan Dogbe defends online safety proposal, says age verification protects children from porn
ACCRA, Ghana
Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Stanislav Xoese Dogbe, has defended Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, over his proposal to regulate access to pornographic and other harmful online content, insisting that protecting minors does not amount to ministerial inefficiency.
In a Facebook post shared on Sunday, June 7, 2026, Dogbe argued that calls to restrict children’s access to pornographic, “g_y” and other inappropriate content reflect global best practice, not an overreach by government.‘Protecting Children is Not Inefficiency’
Dogbe questioned critics who labeled the minister’s proposal as evidence that he “does not know his job description.”“How does protecting children from accessing pornographic and other inappropriate content make him an inefficient minister and one who does not know his job description?” he wrote.
The Deputy Chief of Staff said the regulation being discussed by Hon. Samuel Nartey George mirrors laws already in force in many advanced and developing countries aimed at safeguarding minors from harmful digital content.
Adults Will Still Have Access, He Says
Addressing concerns that the policy would restrict adult access, Dogbe explained that the proposal is targeted at children and will not affect adults who choose to view such content.
“The proposal the minister is talking about is not going to affect you because with your ID and your age, you can still enjoy the sites,” he stated.
According to him, age verification systems would allow adults to continue accessing the sites while blocking minors who do not meet the age requirement.
Calls Parental Responsibility, Not National Policy
Dogbe took issue with critics who downplay the risks of children being exposed to sexual and LGBTQ-related content online, saying parental choices should not override the need to protect other children.“I agree that you may not find anything wrong with your children being bombarded with porn, g_y, and other inappropriate content; you can give them your IDs to use to access them, but other children should not be targeted because of you,” he wrote.
He added that available literature classifies such material as “harmful content” and stressed that children must be safeguarded from it through policy and regulation.
Online Safety Bill Debate Intensifies
Minister Samuel Nartey George has been advocating for stronger digital regulation to combat cyberbullying, sextortion, and exposure of minors to pornography. The proposal has sparked public debate, with some Ghanaians supporting stronger child protection measures while others raise concerns about privacy and freedom of expression.
The Ministry has not yet released a draft bill, but officials say any regulation will include age-gating mechanisms using national ID systems to differentiate between minors and adults.
Child protection advocates have welcomed the discussion, citing rising cases of minors accessing explicit content on mobile devices. Digital rights groups, however, have urged the government to balance child safety with privacy and due process.
The Ministry of Communications is expected to provide further details on the scope and implementation of the proposed online safety measures in the coming weeks.
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