Queenmothers urged to combat misinformation, disinformation

Queenmothers have been advised to use their platforms to help combat misinformation and disinformation in order to promote good governance at the grass-roots level.

This is because their role as trusted custodians of their communities make them better-placed to earn the trust and belief of people, thus, it would be more effective to lead the charge against misinformation and disinformation.

Speaking at a training workshop for Queenmothers from the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regions, the Director of Programmes for Konrad Adenauer - Stiftung (KAS) Ghana, Dr Joseph A. Darmoe, underscored the dangers of disinformation and misinformation and the urgent need to address it.

“Mis- and disinformation are dangerous.

They create confusion about what is true and what is false.

They can damage reputations, influence elections, fuel ethnic or political tensions, and even lead to violence.

In a society where information spreads very quickly — especially through social media — false stories often travel faster than facts.

“This is why your role as trusted custodians of your communities is so essential.

People trust you not only because of your position, but because of your Integrity, your wisdom and your closeness to the people,” he said

Dr Darmoe said in times of confusion, the voices of Queenmothers could restore clarity, stressing that: “We want to strengthen your confidence in addressing it.

And we want to strengthen your network among yourselves.

We hope this workshop will offer practical tools, to help in addressing it”, he added. 

Workshop

Organised by (KAS) Ghana Office in partnership with the National Queenmothers Ghana, the workshop which was designed to offer practical tools to help the traditional leaders to address misinformation and disinformation had over fifty Queenmothers from the five regions in attendance.

It was on the theme: “Combating Disinformation and Misinformation: The role of Queenmothers in Ensuring Good Governance.”

Respect

A Lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Security Research, Dr Elvis B. Botah, observed that in Ghana, traditional authority structures remain highly respected — shaping social life, norms and local governance especially in rural and Peri-urban areas.

"Queenmothers hold particular influence because their authority is tied to culture, matrilineal/patrilineal heritage in many ethnic groups.

They serve as connectors between formal state institutions and traditional communities, especially where trust in modern institutions is low,” he said.

Dr Botah, however, lamented the challenges facing Queenmothers in Ghana and the need to address it.

"Many Queenmothers are excluded from formal decision-making spaces such as Regional or National Houses of Chiefs, and as such, advocacy must continue for institutional inclusion,” he stated.

A Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies Accra, Dr James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr, who was the facilitator for the workshop, advised Queenmothers to always fact-check every information they come across.

"I will entreat the Queenmothers to always consider the agenda or motive of a story by fact-checking and double-checking before acting.

They should promptly deal with rumours, gossip or any false information especially half-truths.”

“Most importantly, they should appoint men and women of proven character who can stay above reproach to regulatory positions", he added.