Queen Mothers in Bono Region Receive Training on Combating Disinformation

The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Ghana Office, in collaboration with the National Queen mothers Ghana, Bono Region chapter, has organized a workshop aimed at equipping queen mothers with skills to combat disinformation and misinformation in their communities.

The sixth annual workshop, held in Sunyani under the theme “Combating Disinformation and Misinformation: The role of Queen Mothers in Ensuring Good Governance,” brought together traditional female leaders from across the Bono Region.

Nana Yaa Ansua III, the Paramount Queen Mother of the Drobo Traditional Area and President of the Bono Queen Mothers Platform, emphasized the critical nature of the training. “One of the major threats to our security in the localities is disinformation and misinformation, and I am excited we are being trained about it, so we can impact our various localities,” she said during her welcome address.

The initiative comes at a time when Ghana, like many countries worldwide, faces growing challenges from false information spreading through social media and other channels. Misinformation—the unintentional sharing of false information—and disinformation—the deliberate creation and dissemination of false information—have become significant concerns for governance at all levels.

Dr. Joseph Darmoe, Programmes Director of KAS Ghana, explained the workshop’s purpose: “We want to provide Queen Mothers with the necessary capacity to address issues of disinformation and misinformation in our ecosystem. We want them to understand their roles and how to properly manage relevant information so that there would be peace and harmony in the various communities.”

Traditional female leaders in Ghana, particularly queen mothers, hold significant influence in their communities. Their roles extend beyond cultural preservation to include community development, conflict resolution, and serving as counselors on various social issues. This unique position makes them valuable allies in efforts to promote accurate information and good governance at the grassroots level.

Dr. James Kwabena Bomfeh Jr., a lecturer at the University of Professional Studies in Accra who facilitated the workshop, advised the queen mothers to maintain their political neutrality. “The office they hold is political, but it is not partisan in nature as we have seen in contemporary times,” he noted. “For them to be able to win the respect and honor deserving of that office, it is important they stay above the fray and do what is dignifying.”

Theresah Adjei-Mensah, Ghana’s Ambassador-Designate to the Czech Republic and chairperson for the conference, challenged the queen mothers to create lasting legacies in their communities. “You need to strive to make impacts in your communities just as some Queen Mothers did in the past. You are the custodians of our traditions, and a lot is expected from you,” she stated.

The partnership between KAS and the queen mothers represents an innovative approach to addressing information integrity challenges. By engaging traditional leaders who hold significant moral authority and community trust, the initiative aims to build resilience against false information at the local level.

The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, a German political foundation operating worldwide, has maintained a presence in Ghana for several decades. Its mission centers on promoting democracy, rule of law, social market economy, and human rights. This workshop aligns with KAS’s broader objectives of strengthening democratic institutions and governance in Ghana.

This training initiative comes at a particularly crucial time as Ghana approaches its general elections in December 2024. Electoral periods typically see increased levels of misinformation and disinformation, making community-level information verification and education essential components of maintaining peace and social cohesion.

By equipping queen mothers with the skills to identify and counter false information, the program aims to create a network of trusted information sources within communities, potentially reducing the impact of harmful rumors and deliberate misinformation campaigns that could undermine democratic processes and social stability.