Anti-Fraud Expert, Isaac Obour, has cautioned that Ghana risks losing the credibility of its educational certification or any certification at all if the country does not urgently address the growing association with fraud.
Speaking on Yɛn Nsempa on Onua FM, he stressed that the fraud stigma directly affects ordinary citizens, particularly the youth seeking opportunities abroad.
“It disturbs citizens and youths in the country, especially in situations where they want to travel for school. Currently, the Ghanaian certification has high value, but if we do not erase this stain of fraud away from us, it will get to a point where if we submit our certification for any sort of process, it will be of no value,” he warned.
Mr. Obour then highlighted the role of social media in worsening the problem, criticizing the culture of flaunting wealth online.
“Ghanaians who have gained some amount of wealth seem to talk a lot by using social media platforms. But we must remember that the internet was introduced to us by the white man, so they have all the algorithms and access to intel. Why would you wake up and be displaying big cars on the internet? They begin to mark you and follow you,” he said.
He explained that while fraud investigations are often complex, individuals who openly display their lifestyles online make it easier for international agencies to track and target them.
“Investigations are difficult to do, but if you open up yourself you make it easy for them to target you,” he added.
Citing INTERPOL data, Mr. Obour revealed that Ghana is ranked 4th in Africa for cybercrime. He noted that online scams, business email compromise, and digital sextortion remain major threats flagged in recent reports.
He urged Ghanaians to act responsibly both online and offline, warning that failure to address the fraud stigma could harm future opportunities for innocent citizens.
By Lois Dogbe
