The Information Services Department (ISD) of the Ministry of Information has launched a new tool aimed at combating the growing scourge of misinformation in the country.
The website, called Ghana Today is a reliable news platform that identifies and counters false information in real time and provides users with an accurate and reliable source of information in a bid to build a more informed and cohesive society.
The launch of the tool took place today at the Ministry’s premises and was attended by Government officials, stakeholders, and members of the media.
Speaking at the launch of the event, the Minister for Information, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, stated that combating misinformation is a critical task in today’s information age that requires a multifaceted approach.
He said that one of such approach is developing tools that would help monitor and track the spread of misinformation on social media platforms and other online channels.
“As you may be aware, a significant section of our population now relies on online platforms and other social media platforms for information. It is also important to note that some unscrupulous persons have used many of these portals and social media platforms to propagate falsehood and misinformation. This phenomenon is gradually undermining our democracy,” the Minister said.
He explained that the website would provide direct information from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) about the works of Government and become also a repository of all happenings in government to aid the Department in the fight against misinformation.
“The website is expected to provide facts about Government projects and programmes, full texts of all speeches by heads of MDAs, official communications and publications, policies, and program documents to reduce the level of misrepresentations and sometimes outright misinformation online” the Minister stated.
The launch of the tool forms an integral part of the re-organization and retooling programme of the Information Services Department aimed at equipping it to serve more audiences with its work even as the times and media consumption patterns change.
On his part, the Acting Chief Information Officer of the ISD, Mr David Owusu-Amoah urged Ghanaians to make use of the Ghana Today platform and to be vigilant in their consumption of online content.
He said it is important people take responsibility for the information they consume and share and be mindful of the impact of false information on society whiles working together to combat it.
“We all have a role to play in combating misinformation. We must all be responsible and verify the information before sharing it. With this new tool, we hope to empower Ghanaians to take an active role in the fight against fake news,” he added.
The Ghana Today portal can be accessed via www.ghanatoday.gov.gh.
