A diaspora demonstration outside the United Nations has put Ghana’s handling of online speech and the arrest of a senior nurse under international spotlight.
A group of Ghanaians living outside the country gathered near the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, September 23, to protest the arrest of a senior nursing officer linked by police to the anonymous TikTok account known as "Ghana Jollof".
The demonstration was reported by Daily Guide Network. Protesters said they were pressing for accountability from the government of President John Dramani Mahama on campaign promises and on broader governance concerns, and urged the administration to protect democratic structures.
Who was arrested
Salomey Awity Bafoh, a Senior Nursing Officer, was arrested in September 2026 and remanded into police custody over what investigators describe as her connection to the TikTok account.
The Ghana Police Service says she is being investigated for allegedly abetting the publication and spread of false information, for inciting comments, and for offensive conduct. These are allegations at this stage. No court has determined her guilt.
The TikTok account at the centre of it
Police have named the person behind the "Ghana Jollof" account as Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, who they believe is based in the United Kingdom.
According to the police account, Kodua posted videos carrying unverified claims about events in Ghana, including a claim that there had been a near coup d'\u00e9tat at the Jubilee House, the seat of government in Accra.
Neither Kodua nor Bafoh has been convicted of any offence in connection with the matter.
Why the diaspora is involved
The choice of location is significant. Demonstrating close to the UN Headquarters, rather than at a Ghanaian mission, is a way of taking a domestic argument to an international audience. The protesters framed their concerns around democratic accountability rather than only the single arrest.
For Ghanaians in the United States and elsewhere, the case touches a familiar anxiety. A large share of commentary about Ghanaian politics now happens on TikTok, X and Facebook, much of it produced by people living abroad. Where the line falls between political criticism and a criminal offence under Ghanaian law is the question the case has raised.
The police position, as set out so far, is that the investigation concerns the publication of false information and incitement, not political opinion.
What to watch next
The immediate question is what happens to Bafoh in court, since a remand order is temporary and must be reviewed. Also outstanding is whether police pursue Kodua, who is said to be outside Ghana's jurisdiction. That would depend on cooperation with authorities in the United Kingdom.
There has been no indication from the government of a response to the New York demonstration.
