President Akufo-Addo emphasized the harmful impacts of misinformation and disinformation on political procedures and individual reputations.
Speaking at the Ghana Report Summit at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel on “Dealing with Misinformation and Disinformation – Election 2024,” he recounted numerous false accusations made against him and other political figures over the years.
“2008 saw baseless accusations of drug trafficking against me, coupled with numerous rumours about my health,” he said. “These were intended to cast doubt on my ability to serve as president.”
He also mentioned similar falsehoods faced by former President Kufuor: “President Kufuor was also accused in 2008 of having sold all of Ghana’s gold reserves.”
Reflecting on the 2012 election, Akufo-Addo recounted, “The 2012 election saw false reports of my alleged arrest in London for drug possession and fabricated quotes designed to incite ethnic tension in 2016. It was alleged by sympathisers of the opposition that I had killed my late wife.”
He underscored the importance of discerning truth from falsehoods and remaining vigilant against the dangers of misinformation and disinformation. “These experiences underscore the importance of discerning truth from falsehoods and the need for all of us to remain vigilant against the dangers of misinformation and disinformation,“ he concluded.
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