Matthew Nyindam, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Information and Communications Committee, has urged Sam George, the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, to prioritise reducing data costs and improving digital access. He expressed his concerns during an appearance on Joy FM’s Top Story on Thursday, June 4. Mr. Nyindam emphasised that Ghanaians who voted for the government expect economic relief in the digital space.
“We must be serious in this country. People queued up to vote for the NDC, expecting the minister to serve them better. There are many concerns within his ministry, and I appeal to him to focus on how we can reduce data costs and make phone calls more affordable. We need to move away from the controversial policy proposals he has been discussing,” he stated.
His comments follow the Communication Minister’s disclosure that the government is preparing a policy proposal that would require users to verify their identity before accessing pornographic websites in Ghana. While the minister has said the proposal is aimed at protecting children from exposure to explicit content and is consistent with practices in other countries, Mr. Nyindam questioned its relevance in the Ghanaian context.
“Today, he goes out there and he says that he’s trying to bring a proposal to Parliament or even Cabinet that adults who want to access pornographic websites identify themselves with their ID cards. What are the benefits to the ordinary Ghanaian? I want to go and watch a pornographic film somewhere, and you, as a minister, are concerned that you want to identify the person who is going to that website. And what is the benefit to the ordinary Ghanaian who queued to vote for him?
Mr Nyindam insisted that the government should instead focus on pressing digital priorities such as data pricing, job creation, and flagship programmes like the “1 million coders” initiative. “The young men who voted for him, the one million coders they’ve promised- how far has he been able to do that?” he asked.
Mr. Nyindam also criticised delays in the rollout of promised legislative reforms, saying: “He has promised to bring 15 bills to Parliament; as we speak, not even a single bill is in Parliament.” He urged the ministry to redirect its attention to policies that deliver immediate and tangible benefits to citizens, rather than what he described as distractions from core development issues.
