The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring a peaceful electoral process and transfer of power in the 2024 general elections.
He emphasised the need for a peaceful process, stating that Ghana’s democracy is a beacon for Africa and the world.
Delivering his address during the Ghana Report Summit held in Accra on the theme “Dealing with Misinformation and Disinformation—Election 2024,” President Akufo-Addo called on the media and all citizens to remain vigilant ahead of the 2024 elections to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation, as their impact on the elections cannot be underestimated.
“The peaceful transition of power, evidenced by the changes in the national political leadership, from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and back, underscores the maturity of our democratic institutions and the resilience of our electoral process.
Our democratic journey has been made possible by the active participation of the citizenry. A robust civil society and a free media. These elements reinforce collectively, Ghana’s reputation as a stable democratic nation. It is within this context that we must address the growing challenge of misinformation and disinformation which threatens, and undermines the democratic gains we have made,” President Akufo-Addo said.
President Akufo-Addo also called on the public and relevant stakeholders to take proactive measures to curb the spread of misinformation.
He indicated that the government has initiated dialogue with stakeholders and is set to roll out a nationwide programme to combat misinformation and disinformation.
“I’m pleased to announce that the government is in the process of a national action plan to combat misinformation and disinformation. This plan is currently before the cabinet for its consideration and action.”
Meanwhile, the National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, on his part, called on the media to uphold the highest level of professionalism and caution in their programmes and activities ahead of the election.
He indicated that such processes could serve as agents of misinformation to the public.
“Media outlets must at all times uphold the highest ethical standards of journalism, emphasising fact checking, balanced reporting and objective analysis, totally devoid of regime change agendas that could destabilise our nation,” Albert Kan-Dapaah said.
