Stop shouting fire! When there is no fire – media warned

By Christabel Addo, GNA  

Accra, March 13, GNA - Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, the Chairman of the National Media Commission, has cautioned the media against shouting ‘fire’ when there is actually no fire, saying this has the tendency to create panic among the populace.

“You must not rush to publicise anything without first seeking for medical authority or confirmation from key sources such as the Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health or WHO,” on the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, he advised.

“This is not a matter for anyone to joke about…COVID-19 is not an ‘April Fool’ situation.... it is a serious issue of life and death, and it is to the advantage of the media to use their platforms effectively to provide authentic education and information, rather than creating chaos,” he said.

Mr Ayeboafoh, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Friday, said the media had a great responsibility towards the citizenry, and making mockery of such a serious global issue was unfortunate, because the disease had no respect for any person, authority, or boundaries.

The failure to live up to expectation by way of publicising fake information could create public mistrust and spread of the virus, he said.

He advised journalists to be circumspect and maintain high level of professionalism in their reportage, saying the world was currently facing a serious global health crisis of great public concern and, therefore, ought to be reported with utmost caution.

Mr Ayeboafoh said with Ghana recording its maiden two cases of COVID-19 on March 12, it was natural for the public to panic, and it was in the jurisdiction of the mass media to provide up-to-date information and education on the disease.

This should include safety measures by government and the health authorities to treat and contain its spread.

The NMC Chairman urged the media to remain focused and desist from being opinionated, but always seek for expert opinion before going to press.

The COVID-19 pandemic, he said, was not to be politicised because it required practical health and scientific solutions and, therefore, it was important Ghanaians got the needed education through the various media platforms to stay safe and calm.

Mr Ayeboafoh urged the public to remain calm as health authorities were working around the clock to handle Ghana’s cases and others that may emerge, by maintaining strong surveillance, holding, quarantine and treatment systems.

He urged all to follow the safety and personal hygiene precautions including regular handwashing with soap under running water, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and observing coughing, sneezing and spitting etiquettes.

He advised people to keep a distance of at least two meters from persons with symptoms of fever, cough, cold and difficulty in breathing, and immediately call the emergency numbers: 0509497700, 0558439868.

So far Ghana has confirmed two cases of COVID-19 while her neighbours; Togo, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria have also confirmed cases.

Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo have also recorded cases.

The COVID-19 was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in the Hubei Province, and reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in December 2019.

It has since spread to more than 125 countries and territories, with the WHO currently declaring it a global pandemic.

According to the Worldmeters.info, more than 134,500 people have been infected globally, with 69,000 recoveries and 4,970 deaths.

GNA

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