I thought about shutting down the internet after the crash — Sam George

Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has revealed he briefly considered shutting down internet access across the country last week.

The idea followed the tragic military helicopter crash that left several families grieving.

According to Mr George, his main concern was the widespread circulation of graphic videos from the crash site on WhatsApp before next of kin had been informed.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, August 12, the Ningo-Prampram MP said the government was alarmed by how quickly the disturbing content was spreading online, especially through platforms beyond national control.

“When the incident happened, I was distraught, but we still had a responsibility to the state,” he said. “You had some of the kids who are old enough being online. I was worried about their mental health and their spouses. A tragedy like this needs to be broken in a certain way.”

Rather than proceed with an internet shutdown, the Ministry worked with the Cyber Security Authority, Meta (which owns WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram), and telecom providers to reduce the spread of the footage. The National Communications Authority coordinated with MTN, Telecel and AirtelTigo to send out over 30 million SMS alerts urging people to stop sharing the content. These messages were sent free of charge to the government.

Meta was able to remove most images from Facebook and Instagram, but encrypted content on WhatsApp remained out of reach.

Mr George also called out some media outlets for broadcasting graphic scenes and stressed the importance of responsible reporting. He said ongoing amendments to the Electronic Communications Act will include provisions to uphold privacy and dignity in times of national tragedy.