President Nana Akufo-Addo has issued a rallying call to Ghanaians, urging vigilance against the spread of fake news as the country approaches the December polls.
Recognising the potential of misinformation to incite unrest during elections, the President emphasised the critical need to reject such falsehoods to safeguard national unity and harmony.
Speaking at this year’s Eid celebrations held at the Black Star Square in Accra, President Akufo-Addo highlighted the grave implications of endorsing or disseminating fake news.
He underscored the responsibility of every citizen to refrain from participating in the spread of misinformation, emphasising the detrimental impact it can have on the democratic process and societal cohesion.
“We are in an election year and in election years, there is a tendency for self-seeking people to exploit our differences of religion and ethnicity to foment division to promote narrow and parochial sectarian and political agendas.”
“In an age of information and new media, which also offers people a wide degree of anonymity, we should be careful about the spread of misinformation and disinformation, especially when such misinformation and disinformation destroy the hard-earned reputation of people,” he said.
With the advent of social media platforms and digital communication channels, the dissemination of false information has become increasingly pervasive, posing significant challenges to the integrity of elections and public discourse.
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