The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Mr Samuel Nartey George, has met with a delegation from Dubawa West Africa to explore collaborative efforts in combating the growing menace of misinformation and disinformation within Ghana’s information ecosystem.
During the meeting on Wednesday, the Minister revealed that the Ministry has completed an extensive draft legislation aimed at tackling misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and other related challenges.
Mr George further disclosed that he has directed the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to develop digital signatures as part of a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) system. This initiative, he explained, will enable citizens and fact-checkers to verify the authenticity of official statements from ministries and government agencies.
He reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and constructive public discourse, stating, “Citizens must remain critical of the government, but they must criticise us with facts, not fabrications.”
The delegation, led by Mr Nathan Daguda, commended the Minister’s proactive stance on addressing the spread of false information.
Mr Daguda noted that Dubawa is the fact-checking arm of the Centre for Journalism, Innovation, and Development (CJID), which operates across several West African countries and plays a key role in promoting information integrity.
The team emphasised that the proliferation of disinformation has become a human rights concern, highlighting that access to accurate information is a fundamental right.
Mr Daguda was accompanied by Project Associate Mr Edem Kum, International Manager Mr Maxine Danso, Project Manager for West Africa Madam Roseline Ahiable, and Researcher and Fact Checker Mr Nathaniel Kyere Bekoe.
Margaret Adjeley Sowah, ISD
