The Acting Director of the Information Services Department (ISD), Dr Winifred Nafisa Mahama, has urged civil society organisations to be wary of fake news in this election year as it has the tendency to destabilise the peace of the country.
She said this at a forum organised by Paradigm Initiative in collaboration with Community Focus Foundation Ghana, E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa, and Internet Society Ghana Chapter on Wednesday in Accra.
The forum brought together stakeholders from government agencies, politicians, social media platforms, fact-checkers, media and civil society organisations.
Dr Mahama stated that the spread of false news during elections have had profound impacts in Ghana, citing the false rumors before the 2020 general elections as an instance.
“During the 2020 elections, false rumours about voter suppression tactics caused widespread concern. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, fake news about public health issues created confusion and fear,” she reiterated.
She indicated that the government has taken steps to address misinformation through the Electronic Communications Act, Cybersecurity Act and the launch of the GhanaToday website.
Dr Mahama proposed enhancing media literacy in schools and communities, strengthening independent fact-checking organisations like Dubawa, and establishing a user-friendly reporting mechanism for misinformation.
She urged collaboration with technology platforms to develop effective tools against the spread of false content.
“The public must stay informed and verify information before sharing,” she emphasised, advocating for active participation in media literacy programmes.
Judith Twumwaa, ISD
