At the 2026 Stakeholders’ Conference organised by the Right to Information (RTI) Commission in Accra on September 24, Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew, the President’s Legal Advisor, urged Ghanaian media to tighten fact‑checking practices to combat information disorder in the digital age.
Ms Brew, a former Attorney‑General and Minister of Justice, reminded journalists that the public still often assumes that information circulating through media and social media is sacrosanct. She stressed that media organisations must ensure that any content published is properly verified, lest false or misleading information spread rapidly and undermine trust in the democratic process.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Upholding information integrity in the digital age: The role of access to information in addressing information disorder,” Ms Brew said the speed at which digital content spreads makes verification even more critical. “In your publications, check the way that you write it before publishing,” she warned, urging reporters to verify sources and exercise caution when reporting material from social media.
Ms Brew called for collaboration among the media, educators, civil society organisations and digital practitioners to help the public recognise manipulation while preserving legitimate debate and dissent. She also highlighted the need for public institutions to respond promptly to Right to Information requests and to explain clearly why information may not be disclosed.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim echoed the government’s expectation that media scrutiny be fair and factual, adding that delays in releasing public information could create a vacuum that misinformation could fill. “We do not fear media scrutiny. We do not fear their questions. I think what we expect is fairness to the facts,” she said.
RTI Commission Board Chairman Dr James Kwaku Asante affirmed that access to accurate information is essential for citizens to distinguish facts from falsehoods. He called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, the media, civil society, academia, the private sector, development partners and citizens to strengthen openness, transparency and responsible information sharing.
With the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) in force, the conference aimed to move beyond discussion of misinformation and disinformation to practical legislative and institutional measures that could bridge information gaps and strengthen public confidence in credible sources.
Ghana’s media community now faces a clear mandate: verify before publish, collaborate across sectors, and uphold the integrity of information in an era where digital speed can amplify falsehoods faster than facts can be established.
