A private legal practitioner has called on the National Communication Authority (NCA) to engage the leadership of various telecommunications networks (telcos) to block websites that infringe on the laws of the country.

Dennis Adjei Dwomoh, in an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Wednesday, said the internet mainly social media largely affects the socialisation of the youth in the country.

As such, restricting the web pages that provides contents that contradicts the laws or exposes the children to explicit contents must be considered.

His comment follows accusation by a section of Ghanaians against the mainstream media for popularizing money rituals on television after two teenagers aged 16 and 17 allegedly murdered a 10-year-old boy for money rituals around Lamptey Mills, inside Kasoa.

But the lawyer believed that some websites and social media could have played significant roles in influencing the young lads.

“The bigger issue is not just about the mainstream media, because in the mainstream media there is standardisation. But it is about the social media and people who have decided to set up media houses to better their business.

“Who controls social media; it is not controlled in Ghana, however, we have the regulatory skills to be able to work with the NCA and the Telcos for certain websites to be blocked. If you go to China and Dubai, sorry you cannot have access to certain websites,” he stated.

He continued, “Cyber-Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service must have a conversation with [owners of] Facebook, Instagram and other service providers that ‘we want you to block these channels on the basis that they are not healthy for our citizens or they infringe on our laws.’”

Mr Dwomoh further added should the NCA proactively engage stakeholders sustainable solution to the negative exposure to social media content will be curbed.

“You should be able to own up to the responsibility. If pornographies are not allowed why ISPs should allow pornographic websites which are well known for people to stream it easily.

“Google has an office in Ghana, can we have a discussion with google and say that ‘I think A or B websites in terms of Ghana must be removed’.”