Gov’t Surveillance Scandal Rocks Ghana Think-tank Boss Raises Alarm

The uproar over the Ghanaian government’s secret purchase of spyware from foreign sources to spy on its own citizens is escalating, with social media ablaze with criticisms as the government remains tight-lipped.

Mr. Sulemana Braimah of the Media Foundation for West Africa has joined the chorus of concern, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

Reports suggest that the government has acquired multiple surveillance technologies from Israeli, Taiwanese, and Swiss companies, enabling them to intercept calls and monitor online communications.

The revelation comes in the wake of a report titled ‘Mapping the supply of surveillance technologies to Africa: Ghana country report’, which sheds light on the covert procurement of spyware by the government. Dr. Gifty Appiah-Adjei, a contributor to the report, disclosed that Ghana has invested in various surveillance tools, including mobile interception technologies from different foreign entities.

Despite these alarming disclosures, the Akufo-Addo government has chosen to remain silent on the matter, sparking widespread outrage among the public.

Furthermore, reports indicate that the National Signals Bureau, under the leadership of Kwabena Adu-Boahene, has been implicated in the unauthorized release of personal data from the Tele-communication companies without proper legal procedures, raising serious concerns about privacy rights violations.

The pervasive use of these surveillance technologies, coupled with reports of abuse by certain political elements within the National Signals Bureau, has raised fears of unchecked power and potential infringements on individual freedoms.

As citizens demand transparency and accountability from the government, the scandal continues to unfold, underscoring the critical need for robust legislation and oversight to safeguard against abuses of power and breach.