Election 2024: Don't be used as a tool to promote hate speech — Media cautioned

Dr. Wilberforce Sefakor Dzisah, a former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (now UNIMAC-GIJ), has urged media practitioners not to give prominence to political actors whose utterances are likely to disturb the peace and security of the country.

He stated that this was the only way the country could emerge from the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections united and unscarred.

Speaking at a two-day training organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for selected journalists in the Greater Accra Region, Dr. Dzisah warned the media against being used as a conduit to propagate hatred against any individual or group.

"We must ensure that those we speak to, those we bring to our studios to communicate for the various political parties, do not unnecessarily incite hatred, intolerance, particularly religious intolerance, and also issues of gender violence," Dr. Dzisah stressed.

The objectives of the training were to sensitize journalists on international standards regarding human rights, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and elections; to build their capacities on how the new digital era, including the internet, social networks, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and Machine Learning, impacted electoral processes; and to enhance their capacity to effectively cover the 2024 elections.

Additionally, it aimed to build their capacities on gender-sensitive media coverage during elections and to enable them to address online harmful content while securing freedom of expression and access to information.

The theme was "Elections in the Digital Age: Countering Hate Speech and Misinformation on Social Media Platforms for Peaceful Elections."

Dr. Dzisah said journalists and the media at large had a crucial role to play in sustaining the country's peace and democracy.

Therefore, they must act professionally in the discharge of their duties, cautioning them against allowing themselves to be used as a tool to stoke political, religious, and tribal tensions.

"We must also eschew issues of ethnocentrism, tribalism, and religious intolerance," he emphasized.

Dr. Dzisah also stressed the importance of impartial, accurate, and objective coverage of the 2024 elections, reminding journalists of the importance of prioritizing the national interest over every other interest.

"We should first and foremost show professionalism, be objective and balanced in our reports, check our facts, and ensure that we do not fall for disinformation, misinformation, and mal-information. It is important that truth stands in our engagements," he said.

Dr. Dzisah, who is currently the Head of the Department of Liberal Arts and Communications Studies at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), urged Ghanaians to be mindful of their utterances, especially in the run-up to the 2024 elections.

He stressed that even though they were at liberty to express opinions on matters of national interest, such expressions must be done within the confines of the laws of the country.

"To every law, there is an exception," he said, adding that "Article 164 of our 1992 Constitution specifies that we cannot disseminate information that could lead to disorder or affect public morality in terms of national security."

Edmond Moukala, Representative and Head of Office at the UNESCO Accra office, stressed the need for media practitioners to be professional in their reportage, indicating that this was key to maintaining peace in the country before, during, and after the polls.

"Let me stress that the values of journalism truth, fairness, and integrity are more important than ever," he emphasized.

Moukala also noted that the journalism landscape had evolved rapidly over the past few years due to advancements in digital technology, explaining that social media platforms had bolstered the speed of news reporting.

However, he said, this must not stop journalists from pursuing accountability, balanced, and fact-checked reportage.

"Let us be guided that the spread of false and misleading information still poses a challenge; therefore, we encourage you as journalists to verify information precisely and swiftly before disseminating," he stressed.

Dr. Aurelia Ayisi, Lecturer in the Department of Communications Studies at the University of Ghana, encouraged self-censorship to ensure the right information was disseminated to the public.