Ghana beacon of democracy in Africa — ECOWAS Commissioner

The Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Abdel Fatau Musah, has lauded Ghana for its exemplary democratic stability on the continent. 

"Ghana remains undoubtedly one of the models of a thriving democracy in Africa," he stated.

This commendation was made at the opening ceremony of a two-day media encounter in Accra, where the ECOWAS Commission sought to enhance the media's role in the upcoming 2024 general election. 

Media

In an address read on behalf of Ambassador Musah by the Head, Democracy and Good Governance at the ECOWAS Commission, Ebenezer Ofosu Asiedu, he cited the country's media landscape as one of the freest and most pluralistic in Africa to buttress his point.

This, he said, had contributed to its democratic development and citizens engagement. 

"The country has conducted several elections which were internationally adjudged to be free and fair since 1992 and the beginning of the Fourth Republic. One cannot but testify to the continuous efforts geared towards democratic consolidation and institutional development, especially in the media landscape in the country," Ambassador Musah said. 

"During the 2020 general election, for instance, media independent reporting, voter education campaigns, and timely dissemination of information, to a large extent, contributed to ensuring a peaceful and transparent process," he stated.

Ambassador Musah added that notable media outlets set commendable examples with fact-based reporting that not only informed the public but also helped ease tensions during moments of uncertainty. 

He said beyond election periods, the media’s power to drive public discourse on governance, human rights and development remained unquestionable.

He cited a 2022 Afrobarometer survey to buttress his point about the role of the media, which stated that nearly 70 per cent of Ghanaians believed the media played a key role in keeping government accountable. 

This level of trust, he said, reflected the enormous responsibility placed on media practitioners in ensuring that their reportage remained accurate, fair and served the public interest.

He, however, said challenges persisted in the media landscape, which include ownership biases and technological advancements facilitating disinformation.

"Fact-based journalism is a powerful tool for countering misinformation and promoting peace," he  emphasised.

GJA

The Public Affairs Officer of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Rebecca Ekpe, said the 2024 general election was going to be a contentious one and therefore urged his colleague media practitioners to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

He commended the ECOWAS Commission for the engagement with the media to help consolidate the country's democracy.

"Without the media, in fact, there is no democracy and if the election is going to be successful, a lot depends on the media," she said.

She added that the issue of misinformation and disinformation remained one of the threats to elections in the country, particularly Election 2024, saying research pointed to the fact that misinformation and disinformation would be one of the greatest threats in this election.

Ms Ekpe said to deal with the issue, the GJA had trained about 150 journalists across the country with support from the United States of America Embassy in Accra.

Engagement 

The event, organised by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the GJA, is to counter misinformation and disinformation, and promote participatory democracy and peaceful election.

It is being attended by media practitioners from both the print and electronic media.