Ghana’s Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has urged the public to stop sharing intimate videos allegedly recorded and circulated without consent by a foreign national.
Her comments follow reports that a Russian man is suspected of engaging in sexual relationships with several Ghanaian women, secretly recording the encounters and publishing the videos on social media.
Speaking to journalists, Dr Lartey described the situation as “very unfortunate” and “heartbreaking”, warning that the continued circulation of the videos could have devastating consequences for the victims.
“You might think it is fun sharing it, but from where I sit, people can lose their lives because of that. Their entire future can be wiped away,” she said.
The minister said the issue should serve as a wake-up call, particularly for young people, cautioning against excessive trust in strangers.
“The world is not as we see it. The world has become dangerous. Wherever you are, even in the midst of familiar faces, ensure that your safety is paramount,” she said.
Dr Lartey appealed to young women to exercise caution in their interactions, saying Ghana’s culture of hospitality and openness should not come at the expense of personal safety.
On the government’s response, she said discussions had already begun with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Technology before the videos surfaced, with plans to form a technical team to address cyber-related violence and abuse.
Since the allegations emerged, she said further steps had been taken in collaboration with security agencies.
“We are collaborating with all the security agencies to ensure that we pull down [the content] and bring the perpetrator to book,” she said, adding that she had held discussions with the Minister for Communication, Sam George, to coordinate action.
The ministry has issued a public statement and provided helpline numbers to support victims. Dr Lartey said efforts were under way to reach those affected to provide psychosocial and other forms of assistance.
“We are going to work to make sure that we reach out to them to give them the needed support to be able to recover and then move on,” she said.
She also called on Ghanaians to show compassion towards the victims and give them the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
“People fall, but the good thing is that they gather the courage to rise again. Let’s give these people the opportunity to rise,” she added.
Investigations into the allegations are ongoing.
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Source: www.kumasimail.com
