Minister for Public Sector Reform Highlights Legal Gaps in Tackling Misinformation and Disinformation at Multi-Stakeholder Conference
The Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reform, Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, has emphasized the detrimental impact of misinformation and disinformation, particularly on women, due to prevailing sociocultural stereotypes.
She highlighted how these issues discourage women’s participation in the public sphere for fear of privacy infringement.
Speaking at the Multi-Stakeholder Conference on Misinformation and Disinformation, organized by Penplusbytes with support from the Open Government Partnership (OGP), the Minister underscored the necessity of addressing gaps in existing legislation on misinformation.
She noted that despite existing laws, there remains a disconnect between legal provisions and practical realities.
“We need to look at it critically to fill in the gaps. Though the laws are there, what is the gap between the law and what is happening practically?” she questioned.
She further revealed that Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to combating misinformation at a recent OGP meeting in Kenya and called for inter-ministerial collaboration to mitigate its negative effects on the country’s democratic stability.
The conference comes in the wake of an announcement by the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation regarding plans to introduce a specialized legislation to curb misinformation and disinformation.
Executive Director of Penplusbytes, Jerry Sam, also addressed the issue, stressing the importance of media and information literacy as a proactive approach to combating disinformation.
According to him, fact-checking alone is insufficient, as individuals often consume and share misinformation that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs.
“If we do have media and information literacy, we inoculate people against consuming misinformation and disinformation because already you’ve shown them the principles, you’ve shown them how the media works,” he stated.
Mr Sam advocated for integrating media and information literacy into school curricula, either as a standalone subject or merged with social studies or civic education, to equip students with critical thinking skills.
He also proposed the development of a national guideline on implementing existing disinformation laws, ensuring clarity on defining misinformation, reporting mechanisms, and mitigation strategies.
He further stressed that any legal framework should align with international best practices and prioritize civil rather than punitive measures to safeguard freedom of expression.
The conference marked a significant step in Ghana’s efforts to address misinformation and disinformation, with stakeholders agreeing on the need for a comprehensive, rights-based approach to information integrity.
