A former Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, has urged the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to lead a national campaign against the abuse of laws on false publication.
He warned that the country risked sliding back into a “culture of silence” if laws on false publication continued to be abused under the guise of maintaining peace and public order.
Mr Tuah-Yeboah was speaking at the commemoration of this year’s World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) and the launch of the 2025 Bono Regional GJA Awards in Sunyani last Friday.
The event was on the theme: “Shaping a future at peace: How the youth and the media are building peaceful cities”.
Concern
The legal practitioner, who expressed concern about the growing abuse of laws on false publication, said their misuse could erode press freedom and create fear and insecurity in the country.
He said, although the laws were intended to protect public peace, they had “been abused beyond imagination”.
He referenced Section 208 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), which criminalised the publication of false statements likely to cause fear or disturb public peace, as well as Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), which criminalises false or misleading electronic communication.
Mr Tuah-Yeboah argued that while the provisions might be well-intentioned, their application could create fear and insecurity if abused.
“The media and indeed all of us must put on our militia armour and with our pens and mouths as our sword, wage a relentless holy war against the wanton abuse, irrespective of who is involved,” he said.
He also praised the media for championing peace, fact-checking information and providing balanced coverage during elections to prevent tensions from escalating.
“The building of peaceful cities is not the responsibility of a few. It is the responsibility of all,” Mr Tuah-Yeboah said.
Media role
He underscored the crucial role of the media in shaping society, saying, “Responsible journalism could promote understanding, unity and peaceful coexistence”.
Mr Tuah-Yeboah cautioned that the rise of social media and the spread of misinformation, hate speech and divisive content posed serious threats to peace and social cohesion.
He said young people equipped with digital tools could instead use social media positively to spread messages of unity, challenge harmful stereotypes and mobilise communities for development.
Integrity
The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, urged journalists to uphold professionalism, accuracy and integrity as the government rolled out policies and interventions to strengthen media development and press freedom.
He said while the country had made strides in protecting media freedom, challenges such as misinformation, unethical reporting, and the misuse of digital platforms continued to threaten peace and national cohesion.
The Regional Chairperson of the GJA, Regina Benneh-Siaw, called for greater protection and support for journalists to enable them to contribute effectively to peacebuilding and democratic development.
She urged journalists to report fairly on sensitive issues to avoid inflaming tensions, while encouraging young people to use digital platforms positively to counter hate speech and promote unity.
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Source:
www.graphic.com.gh