By Edward Acquah
Accra, Oct. 3, GNA – The Institute of Public Relations Ghana (IPR) has urged political communicators to be truthful and respectful in their messaging to voters to ensure peace before, during, and after the elections.
The Institute emphasised that the spread of misinformation and falsehood can be harmful, stating that political messages should be grounded in facts and issues, free from hate speech that could undermine democracy.
Madam Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of IPR, made the call during a training session for political communicators in Accra, as part of the Institute’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations.
The session was on the theme “Ethical Communication for Peace Building in an Election Year.” It was part of IPR’s social responsibility initiative to combat misinformation and disinformation in the lead-up to the December 7 elections.
Madam Cobbah said political communicators must put the nation first before political parties and uphold truthfulness for the good of society.
“In an election year, we want to project the case for our political 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, and candidates based on different ideas that we may have,” she said.
Mrs Elizabeth Joyce Villars, Co-Chair of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), said ethical communication should be part of the concerns of all stakeholders ahead of the general elections.
She said electoral stakeholders such as political parties, candidates, the Electoral Commission, and the judiciary must be truthful, impartial, and transparent in their information sharing to ensure fairness and integrity throughout the electoral process.
“As communicators, we should ensure that our digital platforms are used to promote peace and foster healthy political discourse. Let us encourage users to verify information before sharing and discourage the spread of hate speech,” Mrs Villars said.
GNA