Prioritise ethical communication for peaceful election - CODEO advises stakeholders
A co-chair of the advisory board of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Elizabeth Joyce Vilars, has called for a renewed focus on ethical communication among all electoral stakeholders to promote peace during the 2024 general election.
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The stakeholders include political parties, candidates, communicators, the Electoral Commission (EC), media, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Judiciary.
She emphasised the critical role of truthful, impartial and transparent information sharing in ensuring a fair and peaceful electoral process, saying one major challenge that has characterised Ghana’s electoral system per the last two elections in 2016 and 2020 had been the constant rise of misinformation and disinformation in the country.
“Misinformation and disinformation sow seeds of distrust and can create unnecessary conflict. Let us prioritise fact-based communication, ensuring that we present voters with the truth, regardless of the political alignment or belief.
Remember that you are a Ghanaian first before you become a political party communicator. What you say today will contribute to the state of Ghana tomorrow.
Failing to commit to the truth and transparency can lead to distrust amongst stakeholders, causing voters to lose confidence in politicians, the Electoral Management Body (EC) and the media,” she said.
Mrs Vilars made the call last Friday at a training session for communication actors of political parties organised by the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana in Accra as part of its 50th anniversary celebration.
On the theme: “Public Relations for Value Creation” with a focus on ethical communication for peace in an election year, the training formed part of the institute’s social responsibility to combat misinformed and disinformation ahead of Ghana's general election.
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Safeguarding democracy
The President of IPR Ghana, Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, said the session with political communicators was important as the institute recognised their important roles in the country.
She said to safeguard democracy and national peace, political communicators must prioritise ethical communication during election campaigns, adding that democracy could be undermined if communicators failed to uphold honesty, which is essential for the public's trust and societal well-being.
“In an election year, we want to project the case for our respective parties and candidates. If, however, we have no respect for the truth, then the whole edifice of our society is undermined.
Democracy is at risk when there is no respect for the truth in the contest that takes place between different parties, different candidates, based on different ideas that we may have,” she stated.
Ms Cobbah further urged all parties and candidates to recognise that elections as the tool for democracy will be undermined if communicators show disrespect for the truth.
“Ultimately, the peace of the nation is at risk if we do not communicate truthfully and respectfully with one another,” she added.