Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has called on the media to guard against sensational headlines in their reportage on issues of national interest.

He explained that the menace of disinformation and misinformation had the potential to dislocate the country, hence the need for the media and all concerned citizens to take a stand against the phenomenon.

Former President Kufuor described it as a troubling menace and called for vigilance in safeguarding the integrity of information.

The former President was speaking at a special congregation in Accra last Thursday where the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) conferred a Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) degree on him.

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The school also conferred the same degree on Nana Dr S. K. B. Asante, the Asokore Mamponghene, who was also honoured with an additional title, “Distinguished Professor”.

Reportage
Former President Kufuor said it was during his time as President that the Criminal Libel Law was repealed to usher in greater freedom for the press.

However, he said, he was saddened by how a section of the media now distorted information using sensational headlines and what is known in internet circles as “clickbait captions” to chase numbers with little regard to the truth and all the serious consequences that such misinformation can have.

Specifically, he expressed his displeasure about some media outlets sensationalising and misrepresenting his thoughts in an interview he granted on illegal mining and demonstrations in the country.

“While I stressed my thoughts in the interview about the importance of responsible management of our natural resources, emphasising that these resources should be truly owned and protected by the people, I woke up today to see my words sensationalised and misrepresented across social media”.

“This is a troubling spectacle. The world over these days, the menace of disinformation and misinformation is threatening dislocation of nations and societies.

Therefore, our nation cannot allow it to become a bane to its proper, peaceful and prosperous evolution, and all concerned citizens should take a stand against the menace,” the former President said.

“Misinformation can be swift and very damaging. And we must be vigilant as a nation in safeguarding the integrity of information in our society,” former President Kufuor added.

Works
A citation accompanying the award said President Kufuor’s leadership, spanning over five decades, had brought significant economic and societal benefits to Ghana, particularly during his presidency from 2001 to 2009.

The citation read by the GIMPA Council Chairperson, Kofi Darko Asante, added that during his tenure, former President Kufuor implemented major structural reforms that transformed the economy through critical social intervention measures in education, health and infrastructure.

The initiatives, he said, led to impressive growth rates, showcasing his commitment to national development, adding that beyond domestic achievements, former President Kufuor had been a passionate advocate for peaceful conflict resolution across Africa.

The citation also mentioned his leadership as the Chairman of ECOWAS and the African Union, among others, where he achieved tremendous success.

“For your distinguished public service, economic and social transformation of Ghana and contribution to peaceful conflict resolution in Africa and globally, no institution is prouder than GIMPA and we honour you for your continued contribution to transform visionary leadership globally,” the Council Chairperson said.

Legal
For Nana Dr S. K. B. Asante, the school said as a public servant of international repute, scholar and traditional ruler, he had contributed enormously to humanity and the legal fraternity.

The citation stated that as a pioneer in legal education, he served as a lecturer at the University of Ghana and the Ghana School of Law, and became the first Ghanaian to lead the Law Department at the University of Ghana.

Dr Asante’s illustrious career includes being among the first Africans to teach at British university Law faculties and the first Black African to join the legal department of the World Bank, among a tall list of accomplishments.

For his part, the Asokore Mamponghene called on the government and successive ones to operate a system of meritocracy in public service rather than partisan considerations to ensure sustainable development.

Nana Dr Asante explained that all the Asian countries that achieved radical economic transformation had applied some form of meritocracy in their governmental system to spur economic growth.