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It’s not govt’s business to use ID cards to control people’s consumption of porn – Kofi Bentil
June 6, 2026
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It’s not govt’s business to use ID cards to control people’s consumption of porn – Kofi Bentil

Policy

Key Points

  • Kofi Bentil of IMANI Africa criticizes Ghana's proposal to require national IDs for accessing pornographic websites.
  • He argues against government regulation of private consumption, comparing it to the failed US alcohol prohibition which empowered organised crime.
  • Bentil emphasizes that parental responsibility, not government intervention, is crucial for guiding children's online behaviour and moral development.
  • He warns that creating new regulatory bureaucracy for this purpose could lead to oppression and abuse of the national ID system.
  • Bentil suggests the government should focus on more pressing cybercrimes like romance fraud and views the proposal as political "grandstanding."

Why This Matters

This discussion is significant for Ghana as it delves into fundamental questions about the scope of government power, individual privacy, and digital rights in an increasingly connected society. It also highlights the debate over the most effective approach to safeguarding children online and whether the government's proposed solution is practical, necessary, or an overreach that could lead to unintended consequences and misuse of national identification infrastructure.

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