By Barnabas Esiet.
As Ghana prepares for its 2024 elections, the Centre for Journalism and Integrity Development (CJID) has launched several initiatives to support the electoral process.
Through its Media in National Elections (MiNE) initiative, CJID is deploying trained personnel to observe the electoral process, ensure adherence to democratic standards, and provide detailed reports on the conduct of the elections.
CJID’s fact-checking platform, DUBAWA, is working tirelessly to verify election-related information. The platform is focused on ensuring that voters and stakeholders can access accurate, unbiased information to make informed decisions.
CJID has also been tracking emerging threats posed by technology, including the misuse of artificial intelligence, bots, and disinformation campaigns.
In addition, CJID’s information and AI analysis Centre, DAIDAC, provides insights into how technology impacts electoral integrity and voter perception, especially on social media platforms.
A recent publication by CJID, “Agyapadie Circus: A Make-Believe Toxic Politico-Ethnic Document for Election,” highlights the utilisation of social media for political propaganda before the elections.
CJID has observed a surge in unusual pages and groups sprouting recently and has been actively working with META to track election-related disinformation on all its platforms.
This collaboration aims to ensure that Ghana’s information space remains free of electoral fakes and fabrications.
CJID is collaborating with several organizations, including the Ghana Fact-checking Coalition, the West African Network for Peace-Building (WANEP), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and TIKTOK.
These collaborations will provide real-time updates and insights into the electoral process, verified information to counteract misinformation, and curb the spread of misinformation on social media platforms.
To support Ghana’s electoral process, CJID has deployed 19 personnel, including expert observers, OSINT analysts, and fact-checkers.
These personnel will work collaboratively to enhance transparency, counter information disorders, and safeguard the electoral process in Ghana.
As Ghana gears up for its 2024 elections, CJID invites citizens to stay engaged, informed, and vigilant.
By working together, we can uphold the values that bind us as a democratic society. The success of CJID’s initiatives will depend on the active participation of citizens, institutions, and stakeholders in promoting transparency, accountability, and democratic principles.
Ghana is set to hold its presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2024. The elections will be the ninth since the country transitioned to democratic rule in January 1993.
Twelve candidates have been qualified to be on the presidential ballot, but the election is expected to be a two-horse race between the candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The NPP candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is a former deputy governor of the central bank and has been the vice president to President Akufo-Addo since 2017.The NDC candidate, John Dramani Mahama, is a former president who served from 2012 to 2017.
The economy is expected to dominate the elections, with Ghana facing its worst economic crisis since the return to democratic rule.
The country defaulted on its USD 30 billion sovereign debt in 2022, leading to high inflation and a depreciated currency.
The government has turned to the IMF for a USD 3 billion bailout, but the economic situation remains challenging.
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