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Archbishop laments over internet prostitution, other social vices
The President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh has lamented the use of social media for the promotion of prostitution and other social vices which he describes as “illegal digital marketing”.
The Archbishop explained that the recent surge in the use of internet as a means of keeping up with social and professional life in the midst of the Corona Virus (COVID-19), pandemic had paved the way for increased internet prostitution among women.
“People are trying to surf the internet for educational or professional purposes but are likely to meet unfortunate incidents that would lead to sexual abuse or yielding to purported hook-ups which were not initially budgeted for by the user”, he said.
The Man of God who was addressing Catholic faithful at the opening of a Five-day Plenary Assembly by the Conference at Wa on Monday cautioned the youth to be cautious in accessing and using the internet to avoid falling victims to such negative act.
The annual plenary assembly which brought together bishops from all the catholic dioceses across the country and other reverend ministers who were in the country for missionary work was on the theme; “Fratelli Tutti (Fraternity of all humanity) and COVID-19: Pastoral opportunities and challenges in Ghana”.
“Even more worrying is the rise in sextortion and revenge porn especially targeting women and girls and unfortunately many youth, even those raised in the church are turning to these vices as a way of financing their lavish lifestyle”, he decried.
He indicated that some young women unconsciously fell victim to sextortion on the internet through alleged hook-ups that would supposedly link them to non-existent husbands normally outside their country of jurisdiction and called on the youth, particularly females to be circumspect when using the internet.
Most Rev Naameh defined sextortion as a “threat to blackmail or expose sexual images of an individual in order to get them to provide something to the blackmailer in a bid to halt the intended exposure”.
“Through the sharing of inappropriate pictures with strangers, girls are sometimes blackmailed and huge sums of money are extorted from them, those who are unable to make those financial commitments are humiliated when their nude pictures are finally exposed to the outside world and we must guard against this”, he stressed.
He added that although the need for technology in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic was necessary considering the number of restrictions, the rise in the demand for information communication technology had led to a surge in cybercrimes across the globe.
He mentioned crimes such as identity fraud, estate fraud, non-delivery of merchandise, fake online investment schemes and romance scams as well as mobile money fraud as the popular ones and called on users of the internet to take extra caution and guard against such abuses online.
The Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale advised young ladies to live within their means and avoid finding resources from dubious sources to fund unproductive lavish lifestyles.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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