By Benjamin Adamafio Commey, GNA
Accra, Sept 9, GNA – Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has urged the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the media to deepen collaboration to promote civic awareness, strengthen constitutional democracy and foster national cohesion.
He said sustained partnerships among Parliament, the NCCE, the media, civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders, educational institutions, development partners and the private sector were essential to building an informed and responsible citizenry.
Mr Bagbin made the call in Accra in a speech read on his behalf at a Press Soirée organised by the NCCE on the theme: “Strengthening Civic Education through Strategic Partnerships.”
The meeting formed part of efforts to build sustained partnerships with media professionals and their platforms to advance civic consciousness, constitutional democracy and national cohesion.
It brought together senior media practitioners, development partners, civil society organisations, religious leaders and other stakeholders involved in promoting civic consciousness, constitutional democracy and national cohesion.
The Speaker said democracy could not be sustained through elections alone, stressing that citizens must understand their rights and responsibilities and actively participate in decisions affecting their lives.
“Elections are important, but democracy is much more than the periodic act of casting a ballot,” he said.
“Democracy thrives when citizens understand their rights and responsibilities, participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives, public institutions remain accountable, the media informs, and citizens see themselves as active partners in national development.”
The media, Mr Bagbin said, occupied a “unique and powerful position” in Ghana’s democracy, noting that it could build public trust, promote tolerance and strengthen national cohesion.
He, however, cautioned that the media’s influence also came with responsibility, particularly in an era when misinformation and falsehoods could spread rapidly through digital platforms.
He, therefore, urged media organisations and journalists to uphold accuracy, fairness, professionalism and the national interest in the discharge of their duties.
“The freedom of the media must continue to be protected, but freedom must be exercised with responsibility,” he said,
The NCCE-media partnership, he said, should extend beyond occasional engagements and develop into sustainable collaboration capable of strengthening responsible citizenship and deepening Ghana’s democratic culture.
On Parliament, the Speaker said the House had a central role in strengthening civic engagement because it was the institution through which the voices and aspirations of citizens were expected to find expression in national decision-making.
Parliament and the NCCE, he said, could therefore work more closely to improve public understanding of the Constitution, democratic governance, accountability and the responsibilities of citizens and state institutions.
He called on citizens to take greater interest not only in elections but also in how laws were made, public resources utilised, policies formulated and public officials held accountable.
The Speaker also called for greater investment in civic education for young people, saying they should not be mobilised only during elections but empowered to participate meaningfully in governance and community development.
He commended NCCE for its initiatives, including Civic Education Clubs, Project Citizen, and CivicFest, and called for their expansion to provide young people with practical opportunities to identify community challenges, engage duty-bearers and contribute to solutions.
Ms Kathleen Addy, Chairperson of the NCCE, said the Press Soirée was to strengthen the Commission’s relationship with the media, describing the partnership as fundamental to the effectiveness and reach of civic education.
“If we don’t have reach, if we don’t have the media to amplify the things that we do, we will not be as impactful as we can be,” she said.
She commended the media for contributing significantly to Ghana’s democratic development, including giving citizens platforms to participate in national conversations and holding public officials accountable.
Ms Addy said the constitutional protection of media freedom came with an equally important responsibility to uphold accuracy, fairness and professional ethics.
“Freedom from criminal sanction is not intended to become freedom from professional responsibility,” she said.
Ms Addy expressed concern over the growing threat posed by misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and deepfake content, cautioning that the rapid spread of information required journalists to place greater emphasis on verification and public-interest reporting.
The NCCE Chairperson urged stakeholders to use the opportunities presented by the digital age to promote truth, tolerance and responsible communication in the interest of Ghana’s democracy.
Mr Jonas Claes, the Deputy European Union (EU) Ambassador to Ghana, reaffirmed the EU’s support for the NCCE and Ghana’s democratic institutions, saying the Union and Ghana shared a commitment to democracy, the rule of law and a free press.
He said Ghana’s media had an important responsibility to provide citizens with accurate information and serve as a watchdog, particularly during elections and other critical national processes, warning against complacency.
“We should not take that for granted,” he cautioned.
Mr Claes said the EU was supporting a new African Media Integrity and Resilience Programme to strengthen journalistic skills, including information verification and investigative reporting, adding that it would continue supporting the NCCE through GIZ in efforts to strengthen the rule of law and combat corruption.
He identified disinformation as a major threat to democratic societies, warning that deliberate information manipulation could undermine public trust and poison democratic debate.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
9 Sept 2026
Reporter: Benjamin Adamafio Commey