Accra, April 15, GNA – The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Ghana Office, in partnership with the National Queen Mothers Platform Ghana, has organised a workshop to equip Queen Mothers in the five northern regions with skills to address disinformation and misinformation.
The six-day annual workshop, held in Tamale, brought together over 50 Queen Mothers from the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regions, under the theme: “Combating Disinformation and Misinformation: The Role of Queen Mothers in Ensuring Good Governance.”
Dr. Joseph A. Darmoe, Director of Programmes at KAS Ghana, said misinformation and disinformation posed significant threats to social cohesion and democratic governance.
“Mis- and disinformation are dangerous. They create confusion about what is true and what is false. They can damage reputations, influence elections, fuel ethnic or political tensions, and even lead to violence,” he said.
He noted that the rapid spread of information, particularly on social media, made it imperative for trusted community leaders to play a corrective role.
“In times of confusion, your voice can restore clarity. We want to strengthen your confidence and provide practical tools to help you address it,” Dr. Darmoe added.
Dr. Elvis B. Botah, a Lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Security Research, said traditional authorities continued to play a critical role in shaping social norms and governance, especially in rural and peri-urban communities.
“Queen Mothers hold particular influence because their authority is tied to culture and heritage. They serve as connectors between formal state institutions and traditional communities, especially where trust in modern institutions is low,” he said.
He, however, highlighted challenges facing Queen Mothers, including their exclusion from formal decision-making structures and cultural barriers that limit women’s participation in public discourse.
“Advocacy must continue for their inclusion in decision-making spaces, while efforts are made to address cultural norms that restrict women’s roles,” Dr. Botah stated.
Dr. James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr, a Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies Accra and facilitator for the workshop, urged participants to verify information before acting on it.
“I will entreat the Queen Mothers to always consider the motive behind a story by fact-checking and double-checking before acting. They should promptly deal with rumours, gossip and half-truths,” he said.
He also advised them to uphold integrity in leadership by appointing individuals of proven character to positions of responsibility within their communities.
The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung is a German political foundation that promotes democracy, the rule of law, human rights and a social market economy worldwide.
GNA