GhanaFact is the latest fact-checking organisation to be officially recognized globally as a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) Code of Principles.

This comes after the Ghanaian fact-checking organisation went through a rigorous review process based on five principles of the IFCN: non-partisanship and fairness, transparency of sources, transparency of funding and organisation, transparency of methodology and open and honest corrections policy.

“I believe that the IFCN's verification of GhanaFact will further solidify its position as one of the leading fact-checking organizations not just in Ghana but across the continent,” a Non-Executive Director of GhanaFact and Assistant Professor of Global Media Industries at the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, Dr Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed said in reaction to the news.

IFCN Code of Principles

The IFCN Code of Principles is series of commitments fact-checking organisations abide by to promote excellence in fact-checking.
It aims at helping media audiences easily identify trustworthy, nonpartisan fact-checkers and is recognised globally as one of the few media quality standards.

Being verified by the IFCN thus establishes GhanaFact as a trustworthy and non-partisan fact-checking organisation which audiences can rely on for credible information.

“We now join 76 verified active IFCN signatories across the world that are helping tackle the spread of disinformation on social and traditional media. Our vision is to help promote accuracy in public discourse across the sub-region through fact-checking and tackle the weaponization of disinformation,” Founder and Managing Editor of GhanaFact, Rabiu Alhassan also stated.

GhanaFact

GhanaFact is a project by FactSpace West Africa, set up for fact-checking and news verification in 2019.

It seeks to close the palpable market gap for an independent non-partisan fact-checking programme in Ghana and fact-check around five public interest areas: Politics, Economy, Health, Governance, Election 2020.

A survey conducted by GhanaFact in 2019 of 400 Ghanaians aimed at understanding the ecosystem of distrust and misinformation in Ghana revealed 69% of respondents indicating they had encountered misinformation in the last one year.

The platform thus aims at curbing the spread of misinformation on both traditional and especially, social media, rebuild trust in journalism and safeguard Ghana’s democracy.

According to a another Non-Executive Director and journalism professor at City, University of London, Jane Singer, “The certification from the global organisation of fact-checkers confirms what I'm sure readers already know: that this is a source they can turn to when they want to know the truth.”

Collaborations

GhanaFact is part of Africa Fact, which is a community of fact-checkers in Africa.

GhanaFact is currently collaborating with the pioneering fact-checking organisation in Africa, Africa Check to build a repository of facts from African fact-checkers work called Info Finder. The goal of the project is to improve evidence-based understanding and raise the quality of public debate by making reliable information available in one place and in an accessible Q&A format.

Since the Coronavirus pandemic erupted, GhanaFact has also contributed significantly to curbing the spread of misinformation on COVID-19 by providing credible and verifiable information on the pandemic.

Our fact-checking project is part of the International Fact checking Network alliance of close to 100 fact-checkers from around the world helping fight the “infodemic” around COVID-19.

GhanaFact is helping provide the Ghanaian populace with credible information on issues relating to COVID-19.