By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu
Accra, March 03, GNA – Content creators across West Africa have pledged to promote information integrity and combat the growing commercialisation of disinformation on social media platforms.
The commitment was made during a regional disinformation webinar jointly organised by the European Union (EU) in Ghana, the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID), and DUBAWA Ghana.
Participants, including bloggers, technology experts and social media influencers from Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia, acknowledged that financial incentives and the quest for virality were fuelling the spread of misleading information online, pledging to use their platforms responsibly to curb the menace.
Panelists at the event included Kerkula Blama of Liberia, Nat Hyde, popularly known as Bongo Ideas (Ghana), Rahmatulla Mahmud (Nigeria), Philomena Antonio (Ghana), and Kobby Spiky Nkrumah (Ghana).
Addressing the webinar, Mr Jonas Claes, Deputy EU Ambassador, noted that the European Union was actively working to counter disinformation across Africa, including West Africa and Ghana.
He explained that although the risk of disinformation in Ghana had previously been considered mild, online manipulation of information was increasingly being used to undermine stability, create tensions, and potentially harm EU-Ghana relations.
Mr Kerkula Blama, Chief Executive Officer of Chase Digital Platform in Liberia, admitted he had previously shared disinformation, saying, however, that his perspective changed after participating in DUBAWA training.
He pledged to apply the skills acquired to ensure that he no longer publishes misleading content.
M. Philomena Antonio, a Ghanaian philanthropist and content creator, called on technology companies and social media platforms to strengthen systems for removing false content.
“I pledge not to post any information I have not fact-checked,” she stated.
Mr Nat Hyde also acknowledged the pressures associated with blogging but reaffirmed his commitment to verification.
“I will ensure that every piece of information I put out is fact-checked and that I follow the right processes to avoid spreading falsehood,” he said.
Disinformation experts from DUBAWA Ghana, Ms Maxine Gloria Danso and Mr Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers, highlighted evolving patterns of misinformation in the sub-region, including coordinated campaigns and links to anti-democratic narratives.
Mr Brako-Powers warned that disinformation campaigns had driven violence, validated military coups, masked corruption and damaged reputations in parts of the region.
Ms Maxine Gloria Danso, on the other hand, cautioned that monetisation models tied to online engagement such as views, likes and shares were incentivising the production of harmful content.
She stressed that profiting from false information could distort public perception, inflame tensions, and undermine trust in democratic institutions.
The webinar formed part of the “See the Pattern” campaign, launched in January 2026 by the EU and DUBAWA to strengthen information integrity in Ghana and across West Africa.
Participants concluded the session by renewing their commitment to ethical content creation, rigorous fact-checking, and responsible for digital engagement in the sub-region.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/George-Ramsey Benamba-Ramsey Benamba-Ramsey Benamba-Ramsey Benam