Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim appealed to Ghanaian media to prioritise verification over speed during a speech at the Right to Information Commission’s Stakeholders Conference in Accra. The event, themed “Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The Role of Access to Information in Addressing Information Disorder,” highlighted the need for accurate reporting in an era of rapid news cycles.
Muslim warned that unverified reports can inflict lasting damage on reputations, a harm that is often difficult to reverse. She urged journalists to err on the side of verification before publishing first, stressing that the integrity of information is essential for informed citizen decision‑making.
She also called on government institutions to proactively and responsibly provide information sought by citizens. “Government recognises that it also holds a duty to citizens who are interested in seeking information about the work of various government and state institutions,” she said. “If we want citizens to make decisions based on truth, then institutions should also be willing to proactively and responsibly give information that is being sought.”
Muslim affirmed that the government remains willing to support journalists with verification when needed and urged all stakeholders to collaborate to ensure the Right to Information law achieves its intended purpose. “So today we are all challenging ourselves as stakeholders to support each other so that the Right to Information law would work as it is expected to work,” she added.
She concluded, “We would like to appeal to the media to always verify some of the stories that come to you, and the government is a willing partner in that.”
