Media Literacy Key to Combating Disinformation in Ghana

In a significant policy focus, President John Dramani Mahama has consistently highlighted the growing threat of information disorder as a priority for his administration since taking office in January 2025. His recent address at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly drew attention not only to Africa’s rightful place on the Security Council but specifically to the dangers of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech in Ghana and globally.

This marks a continuation of the President’s stance on digital threats. During his inaugural address, Mahama explicitly addressed how “Technology, such as Artificial Intelligence, has taken us to new heights, opening up the potential for national, financial, and personal security issues that we cannot yet imagine,” specifically citing misinformation and algorithm manipulation on social media platforms as examples.

The administration has signaled firm enforcement measures, with the President discussing plans to track IP addresses of those spreading harmful content and regulate blogging operations during meetings with the Ghana Journalists Association and in his first media encounter. These proposals indicate a serious governmental approach to combating digital threats.

Recent months have seen multiple arrests related to online threats against government officials, journalists, and civil servants, reflecting similar actions taken during former President Akufo-Addo’s administration. These cases highlight the real-world consequences of unchecked online behavior.

The digital landscape has fundamentally altered how information circulates in Ghana and globally. While increased connectivity offers tremendous benefits, it simultaneously creates vulnerabilities that bad actors can exploit. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence has dramatically compounded these challenges, making it increasingly difficult for citizens to distinguish authentic content from sophisticated fakes.

Experts point to Media and Information Literacy (MIL) as a foundational solution to building societal resilience against information threats. While enforcement measures target symptoms, MIL addresses the root cause: citizens’ vulnerability to manipulation through education and skills development.

This approach aligns with international priorities, as evidenced by the Pact for the Future adopted at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024, which positions MIL as essential for information integrity and inclusive societies. UNESCO has designated MIL as a flagship program crucial to sustainable development and effective digital governance.

MIL encompasses competencies that enable citizens to critically access, evaluate, and share information across all formats. The growing need for these skills stems from increased reliance on digital platforms for information, declining trust in traditional journalism, the rising influence of content creators, rapid AI development, and growing online risks.

Several countries have successfully integrated MIL into their national strategies. Finland has incorporated critical thinking and source verification across all educational levels, while Taiwan, Estonia, and Singapore have implemented comprehensive programs showing measurable success in building digital resilience among their populations.

For Ghana, experts recommend developing a comprehensive National MIL Strategy coordinated by the Ministries of Education and Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, in partnership with civil society organizations like Penplusbytes. Such a strategy should integrate MIL into the national curriculum while promoting public awareness campaigns, workplace training, and community outreach. Given Ghana’s linguistic diversity, delivering MIL content in local languages would be essential for inclusivity.

While addressing information disorder requires multiple approaches—including universal access to fact-based sources, strong human rights-based legislation, and transparent media standards—these measures will have limited effect if citizens lack the fundamental skills to distinguish fact from falsehood.

As Ghana navigates increasing digital complexity, MIL represents not merely an educational priority but a national security imperative—essentially serving as a “vaccine against information disorder” that can safeguard Ghana’s democratic processes and social cohesion.