The former Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Obuasi, Hon. Elijah Adansi Bonah, has urged parents to take a more active role in monitoring their children’s use of smartphones and social media, warning of its potential negative influence if left unchecked.
He made the remarks during the 1st graduation ceremony of SANSO M/A Junior High School, where he reflected on how childhood experiences have changed over time compared to the current digital age.
According to him, while his generation completed Junior High School without exposure to social media, they were still influenced by other social factors. He noted that today’s platforms carry both positive and negative content, making supervision essential.
“Social media platforms are for good and bad,” he said. “Parents should think about their kids crying when they prevent them from using their smartphones to access social media.”
Hon. Bonah cautioned that many users on social media are driven by the desire to go viral rather than to promote meaningful or positive content. This, he said, exposes young people to inappropriate language and behaviours that can negatively shape their development.
He therefore encouraged parents who own smartphones to ensure that their children use them primarily for educational purposes. He also advised that where parents are unable to configure devices to restrict access to certain platforms, they should seek assistance in doing so.
“If a parent cannot set up the phone so that their kids can’t access certain social media platforms, they can let others help them do it so that they can monitor their online activities,” he added.
He warned that failure to properly guide children in their digital engagement could result in losing them to negative influences online, stressing the need for vigilance in today’s technology-driven world.