News
President Akufo-Addo challenges Ghanaian journalists to combat disinformation ahead of 2024 elections
At the 28th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards held on Saturday, September 28, 2024, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo underscored the critical responsibility of Ghanaian journalists in safeguarding the nation’s democracy, particularly as the 2024 elections draw near.
Addressing an audience of media professionals, the President emphasized the growing challenges posed by disinformation, misinformation, and the digital age.
As part of the celebration marking 75 years of journalism excellence, the President noted that while technology has democratized access to information, it has also created new vulnerabilities. In the current media landscape, where social media platforms enable the rapid spread of information, journalists are faced with the task of ensuring that facts prevail over falsehoods.
“In this digital age, we face new challenges—disinformation, misinformation, fake news, and sensationalism—that can distort the electoral process. Journalists must rise to the occasion by being the gatekeepers of truth,” the President stated.
With the country set to embark on yet another crucial election in December 2024, President Akufo-Addo called on the media to report with integrity, fairness, and accuracy, ensuring that citizens are well-informed to make decisions that affect their future. He stressed that the stakes are higher than ever, and the role of the media has never been more critical.
“The responsibility of the media during elections cannot be overstated. It is through your work that citizens are informed about the policies of political parties, the integrity of candidates, and the issues that matter most to their lives,” he added.
The President’s speech also reflected on the broader role of journalism in shaping Ghana’s democracy. He credited the media for its role in promoting transparency, accountability, and the public good, particularly in periods of political transition. He highlighted the media’s contribution to the restoration of democracy in 1992 and its continued involvement in educating the public and safeguarding democratic values.
The President noted that journalism, as the “fourth estate,” has been pivotal in moving Ghana forward. He urged media practitioners to maintain their professionalism and safeguard the public’s trust by adhering to the principles of truth, fairness, and impartiality.
However, he was quick to caution that with great power comes great responsibility. “The bond between journalists and the public is built on trust, and it is this trust that must be continually safeguarded by your professionalism and dedication to accuracy, fairness, and balance,” he said.
As a passionate advocate for press freedom, President Akufo-Addo recounted his efforts in advancing the rights of journalists in Ghana. He highlighted his government’s commitment to passing the Right to Information Act, which empowers journalists and the general public to access critical information to hold leaders accountable.
This, coupled with the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law during his tenure as Attorney General in 2001, has strengthened the foundation of press freedom in Ghana.
President Akufo-Addo, whose term as president is set to end, reflected on his long-standing relationship with the media. He emphasized the personal significance of attending the awards ceremony, noting that it would be his last as President of the Republic. Despite returning from a demanding schedule at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he made it a priority to attend the event in recognition of the invaluable role the media has played in his presidency and the democratic journey of Ghana.
In conclusion, President Akufo-Addo commended the resilience, courage, and dedication of Ghanaian journalists. He reaffirmed his belief that a free and vibrant press is crucial to democracy, and as the country prepares for the 2024 elections, he called on the media to uphold its duty as the torchbearer of truth and fairness.
“I remain deeply committed to ensuring that the media in Ghana remains free, vibrant, and independent. Your work is essential to the strength of our democracy, the integrity of our elections, and the progress of our nation,” the President declared, leaving the audience with a message of hope and responsibility as they prepare for the next chapter in Ghana’s political history.
News
Swallowed by the Sea! …Keta’s coastal lines, landmarks, efforts to preserve heritage
The Atlantic Ocean is no longer a distant blue horizon for the people of Keta.
It now circles around their doorsteps, uninvited, unrelenting, pulling down walls and other structures, erasing memories, and threatening lives.
Hovering precariously between the restless sea and the Keta Lagoon, this once-thriving coastal town is slowly being obliterated.
Salt water has become both a physical and metaphorical threat, dissolving the town’s past as fast as it claims its future.
Madam Aku Atitso, 62, lives in a crumbling former Prisons Service quarters – one of the few structures still standing on the eroded stretch of Queen Street.
She sits quietly at the entrance, preparing a modest breakfast for herself and her granddaughter.
The air is thick with salt and silence. “The sea took everything,” she says softly. “My husband’s nets, our mattress, our memories all gone overnight.” Her voice trembles. “This place too is dying. But it’s the last place with a roof over my head.”
A few metres away, Aunty Esinam, 79, watches the sea from a low stool beside a wooden shelter. Her eyes do not blink. “That spot,” she points, “used to be someone’s living room, a whole family lived there”.
It’s not just homes that are vanishing. Landmarks that anchored Keta’s cultural identity are disappearing one after another. The once-imposing Fort Prinzenstein, a haunting relic of the transatlantic slave trade is now more of a ruin than a monument.
the encroaching waters along Keta’s
coast.
encroaching waters along Keta’s coast
The colonial-era Bremen factory, the old cinema where generations of children once laughed at flickering black-and-white films is also gone.
Queen Street, once the town’s bustling backbone, is now a watery corridor choked with debris.
Standing atop a section of the sea defence wall, 69-year-old retired teacher Efo Kwasi Agbeko surveys what remains.
“The first police station is mostly gone,” he says, gesturing part of the building stuck in the sea sand, only ruins and a few rooms remain.
“This town is fighting, but the sea is winning,” he said.
Even the Cape St. Paul Lighthouse, Keta’s historic sentinel, leans perilously toward the water, and fishermen say holes in the shore are opening more frequently, sometimes every week.
That leaves a thick cloud of uncertainty hanging around the historic town of Keta.
Once upon a time, it was a vibrant town noted for business but currently left with ruins with a few of the residents watching in awe the sea’s devastation.
From: Geoffrey Kwame Buta, Keta, Volta Region
News
Ghanaians climax Easter with fun-filled activities
Christians around the world and other faith based groups last Monday climaxed the Easter celebration with a number of fun-filled outdoor and indoor activities.
With streets empty, fun seekers stormed church premises where picnics were held while others partied in many ways.
Others spent the day at the various beaches and music and film shows occupying the others.
velleyball competition
at the Laboma Beach
Church in Tema Community 8 engaged
in a number of activities including the
popular draught competition
At the churches, participants engaged in bible reading, football, volleyball, playing cards, table tennis, horse racing, bouncing castles, swimming and oware.
one of the picnic venues
Others played ludo, tag of war, lime and spoon, draught, music competitions among others.
The Spectator captured some of the exciting scenes around Accra-Tema for the benefit of readers.
Story & pictures by Victor A. Buxton
