Youth urged to combat misinformation ahead of 2024 elections

Youth in Madina, within the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, have been urged to take a proactive role in ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process for the upcoming 2024 elections.

This call to action emphasises the importance of combating misinformation and disinformation, which can undermine the democratic process and fuel unrest.

The appeal was made by Doris Agyemang, Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), during a community engagement session aimed at educating young people on their civic responsibilities.

Speaking at the event organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) and the Mother of All Nations Foundation, Mrs. Agyemang emphasised the detrimental impact of false information on democratic processes, especially during elections.

“The youth, as active participants on social media and digital platforms, must be vigilant and responsible in verifying the accuracy of information before sharing it,” she stated.

She urged the youth to rely on credible news sources and official channels to stay informed, noting the importance of countering false narratives that could lead to unrest. “You are not only the future leaders of the country but also key stakeholders in ensuring a fair and transparent election process,” Mrs. Agyemang reminded them.

Echoing these sentiments, the Executive Director of Mother of All Nations, Ishaq Abubakar Zico Newton, stressed the potential power and influence young people hold. “Ghana’s youth make up close to about 38 percent of the total population, which means that over one-third of Ghana rests on the strength of the youth,” he said, highlighting the importance of youth involvement in elections and governance.

“The unfortunate truth is that only a small percentage of youth in Ghana take active roles in governance, and that needs to change,” he continued.

“Imagine the impact if each and every one of us here and the targeted youths outside actually see how best it would contribute to this country’s development and, for which reason, actively engage in governance.”

He encouraged the youth to recognise their power to influence change at the grassroots level and to actively engage in governance. “Change doesn’t always have to start at the top. It starts right here in our communities,” he added.

He also noted the role of social media as a powerful tool for amplifying issues and raising community concerns. “We are living in a data age, where the power of social media is immense. Social media is going to actually be our microphone… It gives us the platform to amplify organised issues, share stories from our communities, and raise concerns that will no longer be ignored by those who are actually supposed to hear them,” he said.

This engagement is part of an initiative by the CDD and Mother of All Nations to promote civic education and awareness.

It aims to equip citizens, particularly the youth, with the necessary knowledge and tools to distinguish between factual information and misleading content, thereby encouraging a more informed and responsible electorate.

The post Youth urged to combat misinformation ahead of 2024 elections appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

Read Full Story