Dignitaries present at the closing ceremony of the SPI Ghana National Forum
President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has urged the media to work together and ensure peaceful and credible elections come December 7, 2024.
According to him, the media has a crucial role to play in promoting peace adding that, “In an era where fake news, polarising narratives and disinformation spread like wildfire, it is important for the media to remain alert, fact-check what comes through to them and debunk misinformation”.
Mr. Dwumfour also urged the media to hold leaders accountable for their actions and promises and not to allow politicians or any group to lead them into doing things their way.
He emphasised that, by doing all these, the media would be contributing to the reduction of tensions and conflicts in the country, increase voter awareness and engagement, promote transparency and accountability, and foster a culture of respect and tolerance.
“Let’s all give peace a chance, Ghana is the only country we have and we cannot afford to lose the peace we are currently enjoying,” he urged.
He made this remarks during the closing ceremony of the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI) on social cohesion, security and peaceful elections organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in partnership with the GJA and the Ministry of National Security in Accra.
Director at the Electoral Commission (EC), Benjamin Bannor Bio, assured participants of the EC’s commitment to ensuring a free, fair and transparent election.
He revealed that, the EC has undertaken activities to enable voters who have changed their locations to transfer their votes to their current locations, adding that, they are effectively educating the public to commit to free and fair elections.
Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, Charles Palmer Buckle, said, “we are preparing for elections, we have to look around about what has happened in and around the Africa, and particularly the sub-regions about elections, post-elections situations and see how we can better our performance to promote peace”.
By Janet Odei Amponsah