President John Dramani Mahama has stated that he is unaware of most of the arrests of people, particularly those using new media platforms such as TikTok to insult leaders in the country.

Speaking during a town hall meeting with the Ghanaian community in the Tri-State Area of the United States of America, President Mahama said he often learns about such arrests through the media and social media, rather than through official channels.

He said the nature of insults and threats directed at people through new media platforms, particularly TikTok, is worrying and does not augur well for the nation.

President Mahama therefore called on security agencies to take appropriate action against individuals who use such platforms to make abusive, offensive or threatening remarks against others.

He cited the United States as an example, saying individuals who make threats against political leaders, including threats to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump, would face serious consequences.

“I mean, if you take a TikTok and threaten Trump and say that you are coming after him and you are planning to come to the White House and assassinate him, you think you will not be swept off your feet.

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“Yeah, but in Ghana, you can say it. And when you arrest somebody, they say, ‘Oh, no, no, no, you are trampling on free expression.’ A lot of these arrests, I don't even know about them.

“I also hear them on the media. Somebody has been tracked and arrested and all that. And sometimes it worries me because sometimes the reason for which the person has been arrested, really, I mean, they say he's insulted me.

“And you look at the insult, and it can be quote-unquote for the person to be arrested.”

President John Dramani Mahama says he does not mind being insulted as a leader, but insists Ghanaians must collectively decide how to regulate TikTok and the "New Media."

He also revealed that he is unaware of many of the arrests of social media commentators and has called on… pic.twitter.com/752mlQ9qJR

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 26, 2026