Meta, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, unveiled the AMBER Alert Ghana programme on Thursday across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.
This initiative promises to revolutionise how missing children cases are handled in the country by instantly notifying local communities about suspected abductions.
AMBER Alert Ghana expands to Messenger for faster public response
The launch introduces Messenger as a new platform for delivering AMBER Alerts alongside Facebook and Instagram.
When a child is reported missing and meets the program’s strict criteria—such as being under 18, suspected abduction, and risk of harm—the police trigger an alert.
This alert contains key details like the child’s photo, description, and abduction location, appearing directly in users’ feeds and notifications on Messenger within targeted areas.
Kojo Boakye, Meta’s Vice President of Public Policy for Africa, said this expanded reach “reflects Meta’s commitment to child safety across Africa.”
He stressed that spreading verified and timely information via social media is crucial to accelerating recovery efforts.
Real-time collaboration boosts investigation efforts
The Ghana Police Service operates a dedicated 24/7 team that works closely with Meta’s Global Security Operations Centre to verify and activate alerts swiftly.
COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, Director-General of Criminal Investigations, highlighted how the alerts improve the police’s investigative capability by enabling the public to assist in real time during the critical early hours following a disappearance.
Detective Dunstan Guba, who leads the AMBER Alert Ghana team, confirmed that the system is fully operational and ready to be deployed immediately.
Since its international launch by Meta in 2015 and the addition of Instagram in 2022, the programme has contributed to hundreds of recoveries worldwide.
Ghana is now the 36th country to adopt this technology, and the fifth in Africa.
Using social media platforms for urgent child safety alerts marks a transformative step for law enforcement and community engagement.
It leverages the vast reach of Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger to quickly mobilise public awareness and action.