Stop sharing the Russian TikTok videos - Gender Minister warns

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called on Ghanaians to desist from sharing non-consensual intimate videos of Ghanaian women allegedly recorded secretly and circulated online by a Russian national.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, February 14, 2026, the minister condemned the circulation of the material, describing it as deeply harmful and potentially life-threatening to the victims.

“I will urge us to stop sharing the pictures and the videos. It is not good; you might think that it is fun sharing it, but from where I sit, people can lose their lives because of that. Their entire future can be wiped away because of that.

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“I will plead with us. People fall, but the good thing is that they gather the courage to rise again. Let's give these people the opportunity to rise,” she said.

Dr Momo Lartey disclosed that her ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Communication, which is assembling a technical team, alongside security agencies, to facilitate the removal of the videos and ensure that individuals responsible for circulating the content are held accountable.

She further indicated that measures are being implemented to provide psychological support for the affected individuals, emphasising the collective responsibility to safeguard their dignity and public image.

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The minister expressed concern over what she described as the excessive trust and naivety among some young people, noting that such traits can expose them to exploitation.

“Ghanaians are so trusting sometimes; some of the girls were just naive. We are so trusting because that is how we were brought up. We used to say we are hospitable.

“I don't know if we can still say that. When you see within the community, someone will give their daughter or son out to lead a stranger to a neighbour's house, and that is how we are.

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“We are so open and so trusting that you can see a stranger and walk to the stranger's home without knowing who the stranger is,” she said.

Dr Momo Lartey urged citizens to exercise greater caution in their personal interactions and to prioritise their safety at all times.

“Wherever you are, even in the midst of familiar faces, ensure that your safety is paramount. Don't be too trusting to let the entire rope out to somebody without holding the end of it so that in case of danger, you can easily pull back. I will plead with them,” the minister said.

She characterised the incident as “very unfortunate” and “heartbreaking”, while stressing that it should serve as a wake-up call for Ghanaians to adopt practical measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.