The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, says he is determined to work alongside the media to comprehend the impact of false information on elections and find effective solutions to combat it.
Addressing a seminar in Accra yesterday on “The Impact of False Information on Elections and Peace in Africa,” the Minister said it was evident that the time for action had come.
According to him, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and its partners some time ago organised a forum where participants identified three critical drivers of the problem faced: political party propaganda, legacy media’s compromise on news accuracy for the sake of speed, and the regulatory challenges encountered by the Ghanaian government.
In response to these challenges he said: “It is clear that we must take collective action to address these fundamental issues. The recommendations arising from the MFWA forum closely align with our objectives today.”
The Minister indicated the need to collaborate to tackle the influence of political party propaganda, and also ensure that legacy media maintains the accuracy of information in the digital age, and support the Ghanaian government in surmounting its regulatory hurdles.
“As we work towards a solution-focused framework, we must hold big tech and app makers accountable for the accuracy or otherwise of information shared on their platforms,” he mentioned.
These entities, according to him, wielded significant influence in the dissemination of information, and it was only fair that they shared the responsibility of combating misinformation and disinformation.
He noted that the challenges are real, but the solutions are within our reach through collective effort. “We must unite to safeguard the principles of democracy, ensure the integrity of our electoral processes, and protect the peace we cherish in Ghana and across Africa,” he added.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who also addressed the gathering, said the advent of digital technology and social media platforms had ushered in a new era of connectivity and information dissemination, bringing citizens closer to the democratic governance processes that defined nations.
Digital Technology, she continued, had revolutionised the administration of electoral processes, thus, fostering innovation in voter and civic education.
“It has expanded the scope of information accessible to our citizens, thereby diminishing the control that authorities can exert over information flows. The positive impact of this digital transformation on our societies cannot be overstated,” she stated.
She called for prudence “as we navigate the delicate balance between safeguarding our cherished democratic values and upholding the fundamental human rights that form their bedrock.”
The Minister further argued that vigorous measures like internet shutdowns or severe restrictions on social media usage can constitute a grave encroachment upon these fundamental rights.
She said: “We must firmly resist any temptation to compromise our core democratic principles under the pretext of security.”
