Accra-Ghana, Dec. 21, GNA – Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information Thursday announced that the National Action Plan (NAP) to combat misinformation and disinformation would be implemented in 2024.
He said the plan would help to protect the integrity of information disseminated to the public and build a culture of national cohesion.
The Minister made the announcement on Thursday at a validation of the draft NAP to fight misinformation in the country.
Mr. Nkrumah argued that information served as the lifeblood of democracy because it offered an insight into the policies and programmes of institutions such as political parties and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
He emphasized the importance of information integrity, encouraging all stakeholders to keep an eye on how information circulated in the country and beyond.
The Minister stated that the Plan would include several strategies, including maintaining ethical standards in the media, encouraging fact-checking in public discussions, supporting high-quality journalism, and promoting civic education.
That, he said, stemmed from a recent National Conference on Disinformation and Misinformation, when political parties, civil society organizations, media representatives, and development partners agreed on a seven-point statement.
Mr Nkrumah said that the growing tide of misinformation and deliberate deception in the media could destabilize the country’s security, particularly ahead of the 2024 general elections.
“We are in an era where there are a lot of media houses in the country, and there is a need to sanitise the system to avoid fear and panic,” he said.
Mr Nkrumah stated that the Ministry of Information would continue to support Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in development communication.
He urged all stakeholders to participate fully in the discussions and contribute to develop a comprehensive Plan to tackle media disinformation.
Mr Mawuki K. Segbefia, Head, Policy, Planning, Budget, Monitoring, and Evaluation, MOI said the concept of misinformation had been broadened to include hate speech.
He said the objective of the Plan was to enhance media literacy, promote ethical journalism, and introduce mechanisms for reporting misinformation in the country.
He said countries like Germany, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Finland have drafted legal frameworks to help address misinformation, from which Ghana would learn best practices.
Some participants proposed incorporating media literacy into the country’s educational institutions to address the issue from the ground up.
Others urged that newsrooms set up fact-checking desk to address misinformation and disinformation in the media.
The participants called for an independent body to spearhead the development of the Plan rather than the government to ensure trust.
