Sam George, Ghana’s Minister for Communications and Member of Parliament, has revealed that he nearly ordered a nationwide internet shutdown following the tragic helicopter crash on August 6, 2025. The decision was prompted by the rapid circulation of graphic and disturbing videos of the incident, particularly on WhatsApp, which he feared could cause emotional harm to the families of the victims and the general public.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, the minister described the moment as deeply troubling. “When the incident happened, I was distraught, but we still had a responsibility to the state,” he said. “I got a call with the videos that started circulating. The unfortunate situation is most of them were circulating on WhatsApp, and WhatsApp is a platform that is not controlled by any country. It’s a private business.”
Faced with the dilemma of protecting national sensitivity versus maintaining digital access, he considered a temporary blackout of internet services across the country. “One was to shut down the internet in the country to prevent further spread of the videos, because government had not officially completed communication to the families,” he explained. “I was worried about the mental health of those kids and their spouses, and such tragedy needs to be broken in a certain way.”
Ultimately, Sam George chose not to proceed with the shutdown, citing the potential ripple effects on media operations, businesses, and emergency communications. “Many of you stream the news, how people get the news via stream and all of that. You could have a ripple effect that would actually be worse than what you were trying to fix,” he said.
Instead, he coordinated a behind-the-scenes response involving multiple stakeholders. He reached out to Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, and activated a point of contact to explore moderation options. “I started making personal calls to senior vice presidents that I knew at Meta to see what could be done. They assured me they were going to look into the matter.”
He also engaged telecom CEOs and the National Communications Authority to help manage the situation. “We sent out about 30 million text messages within the space of two hours, and the telecom companies bore the cost for this,” he revealed.
Sam George emphasized that the initiative was not about censorship but compassion. By encouraging responsible digital behavior, the government aimed to shield grieving families from further trauma and promote unity during a time of national mourning.
Source JoyNews
