As Ghana prepares to mark National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, the General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Kofi Yeboah, has urged journalists to prioritize accuracy over speed before publishing news.

Speaking at the Minister’s Press Briefing on National Cybersecurity Awareness Month today, September 1, 2024, Kofi Yeboah emphasized the importance of focusing on cybersecurity, particularly in addressing the spread of misinformation and disinformation, which have become significant national security concerns.

The effort to raise public awareness and equip citizens to detect and combat false information is commended as an essential endeavor.

He noted that October is not only observed as Cybersecurity Month but also as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the time for observing World Food Day.

He highlighted that the theme for this year’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, “Combating Misinformation and Disinformation in a Digitally Resilient Democracy: Our Collective Responsibility,” is particularly relevant as the country approaches the 2024 elections, a time when misinformation often influences the electorate’s decision-making.

Kofi Yeboah underscored that the media, especially social media, is a major conduit for the spread of false information. However, he called on the media to collaborate with the Cyber Security Authority during the awareness month to help educate and empower citizens to address this challenge.

He also urged journalists to prioritize accuracy over speed, verifying information before publishing to avoid the harmful consequences of spreading misinformation.

Additionally, Kofi Yeboah emphasized the media’s ongoing responsibility to combat misinformation, particularly during the election period. He called on political actors to refrain from using the media to spread disinformation.

“The theme of the event underlines that combating misinformation is a shared responsibility, requiring collective action from all stakeholders,” he said.