Ghanaians may soon need national ID or driver's licence to watch adult websites

• Government is considering a policy requiring users to verify their identity before accessing adult websites in Ghana.

• Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George says the move is aimed at preventing children from being exposed to explicit online content.

• The proposal, which may require a Ghana Card or driver's licence, is being prepared for Cabinet consideration.

Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, disclosed the proposal while speaking at the 4th African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values.

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According to the minister, the policy is currently being prepared for Cabinet consideration and would require users to provide a valid national identification card or driver's licence before gaining access to adult websites.

"We're working on going to Cabinet on that to make sure that before you access any X-rated site, you must put either your driver's licence or your national ID card so that we know who you are and who is going to that site to prevent children from being exposed to such content," he said.

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Mr George explained that the proposed measure forms part of broader efforts to shield minors from harmful online material and ensure age verification for users of adult platforms.

He pointed to the United Kingdom as an example of countries tightening restrictions on access to pornography.

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The minister argued that exposure to sexually explicit content at a young age could have long-term consequences on children's development and values.

"This is the real threat. Because when a child is oversexualised at an early age, it affects their development, it affects their thinking, it affects even their morality and their values and their standards," he said.

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Mr George also linked the proposal to ongoing discussions on child protection and the preservation of family values. During his address, he reiterated his support for the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.

"When my colleagues and I in Ghana introduced the Family Values Bill, one of our key arguments has been that we're fighting for the innocence of Ghanaian children because our children must be protected," he said.

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He maintained that Ghana must continue to take steps to safeguard children and preserve cultural and family values for future generations.