President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on Ghanaians to remain vigilant against the proliferation of fake news in the run-up to the December polls.
Emphasizing the potential for fake news to stoke unrest during elections, the president stressed the importance of rejecting such misinformation to uphold national unity and harmony.
Addressing attendees at this year’s Eid celebrations held at the Black Star Square in Accra, President Akufo-Addo underscored the significance of refraining from endorsing or propagating fake news, cautioning against its dissemination.
“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.”
The president further urged Muslims to uphold and practice Quran chapter 49 verse 6, which states “Oh you who believe, when an evil person comes to you with news, verify it, lest you have people in ignorance and afterwards, becomes regretful of what you have done.”