Info Minister Visits GhanaWeb: Verify information you put out first - Fatimatu Abubakar urges journalists
The Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, has reminded the media of its unique role in promoting and ensuring peaceful coexistence in the country, particularly as Ghana nears a crucial general election in December 2024.
During her stop at GhanaWeb, as part of her tour of some selected notable media houses in Accra, the minister urged the media to be guided by its work, especially in churning out accurate information.
She stated that in this present age where there is an influx of misinformation and disinformation, it is crucial that journalists go the extra mile to ensure that what they present to the public is factual.
“We are going into an election; it’s a period that issues of misinformation and disinformation will be all over the place and I want us to be mindful of our responsibility to protect the country and ensure that we go into the election and come back with a peaceful Ghana for us.
“I don’t even want to think about it but reflecting on what is happening in our neighbouring countries, should we destabilize our own, there is nowhere to go. So, it’s my hope that whatever information comes through the channels, you verify before putting them out. That’s the only campaign; verify first, because you realise that in some instances, unknown individuals will put some material ‘x’ on any platform or Facebook, and an established brand will pick it and just lift it and post it on their page,” she said.
Fatimatu Abubakar added that it is important, more so, for established brands, like GhanaWeb, to make this a priority in this election of all periods because any information carried on such platforms carries a lot of clout.
She added that if platforms like GhanaWeb become conveyor belts for perpetuating untruths and falsehoods, it can affect the peace and stability of the country.
“Maybe I don’t know the person, I don’t acknowledge them, but I know GhanaWeb; I know this institution, and if they put anything out, I take it as the gospel truth. And it has the tendency, if you are rebroadcasting without verification, to bring about instability and destabilize the peace of the country,” she added.
Welcoming the minister to the GhanaWeb offices, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, David Antwi, expressed his gratitude to her for making time out of her busy schedules to visit the company.
The minister also made time to meet with the editorial staff of the company, where she urged them to keep up the good work.
Watch a video of her visit below:
Meanwhile, catch up on the latest edition of The Lowdown on GhanaWeb TV as Etsey Atisu sat down with the MP for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, to discuss issues surrounding the E-Levy, the Saglemi Housing Controversy, and the OSP Impeachment:
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Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.
AE
